91´«Ã½

CHICAGO -- The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Grants Administration Committee are now accepting online applications for the 2018 Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Award. This $4,000 award, made possible by an annual gift from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing in honor of Maureen Hayes, brings together children and nationally recognized authors/illustrators by funding an author/illustrator visit to a library.

Each application will be judged on the following:

· Reasons for the application. The applicant seeks to provide a visit from an author/illustrator who will speak to children who have not had the opportunity to hear a nationally known author/illustrator. Reasons for applying could include: particular contribution; a special celebration, etc.

· Facilities. The appropriateness, both in terms of capacity and accessibility.

· Administrative support. The organization and administrative capabilities of the person or group submitting an application evident in the enclosed budget, and partially manifested in the presentation of the application itself.

· Cooperation with other organizations. The applicant must work cooperatively with other types of libraries (academic, public and school) and bookstores within the local community to provide the author/illustrator visit, thereby also providing a broader audience. The applicant must present the library's educational goals, as well as evidence of how those goals apply to the local community's educational goals. The extent to which meaningful cooperation among various local or area groups would suggest an ability to share responsibilities of personnel, time, and money needed to cover local expenses.

· Author/Illustrator visit visibility. Emphasis on the presentation as a distinctive event publicized to and open to all potential attendees in the area is a priority for each Award.

Applicants must be personal members of ALSC, as well as 91´«Ã½ members to apply. Deadline for submissions is Nov. 15, 2017. For more information about the award requirements and submitting the online application please visit the .

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 .