91´«Ã½

CHICAGO — The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) announced six scholarship winners for the 2016-2017 academic year.

Four winners were awarded the Bound to Stay Bound Books Scholarship, which is made possible by Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. All four recipients will receive $7,500 in scholarship aid for the 2016-2017 academic year. The four recipients are: Luz Maria Flores, attending the University of Maryland; Marissa Guidara, attending Valdosta State University; Heather Renee Harden, attending East Carolina University; and Amanda Nicole Neace, attending the University of Kentucky.

Two winners were awarded the Frederic G. Melcher Scholarship which is made possible by contributions from librarians, professionals and others associated with the field of children’s literature. This award is worth $7,500 in scholarship aid. The two recipients are: Amanda Vanessa Lopez, attending the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Krystal Renee' Smith, attending Texas Women's University.

Each year, ALSC provides the Bound to Stay Bound Books and Melcher Scholarships to help advance the profession of children’s librarianship. Recipients must complete their academic work at an 91´«Ã½-accredited institution. Recipients are also expected to accept positions after graduation in the field of library service to children for at least one year.

ALSC, a division of the 91´«Ã½, is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. With a network of more than 4,000 children’s and youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty, ALSC is committed to creating a better future for children through libraries. To learn more about ALSC, visit ALSC’s website at .

The 2016 ALSC Scholarship Committee includes: Miriam Medow, chair, Oakland (California) Public Library; Elizabeth Hanisian, Lewisville (Texas) Public Library; Jean Hatfield, Wichita (Kansas) Public Library; Lisa Mulvenna, Clinton-Macomb (Michigan) Public Library; and Thomas Schween , San Jose (California) State University School of Library & Information Science.