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DENVER — Blogger and educator Debbie Reese, PhD, founder of American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) blog, will deliver the 2019 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture. The announcement was made today by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½), during the 91´«Ã½ Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits held Feb. 9–13, in Denver, Colorado.

“Our selection of Dr. Reese recognizes her strong modeling of inclusion, integrity and respect (ALSC Core Values) via the timely insights she shares on the influential blog, ,” stated 2019 Arbuthnot Committee Chair Barbara A. Genco.

Dr. Reese is a longtime advocate for Native representation and is a former teacher and university professor. She earned her PhD in Education from the University of Illinois, where she also helped establish the Native American House and American Indian Studies program. Dr. Reese also holds an M.Ed degree in Library and Information Science from San Jose State University. She is tribally enrolled at Nambe Owingeh Pueblo in New Mexico.

The Arbuthnot lecturer, announced annually at the 91´«Ã½ Midwinter Meeting, may be an author, illustrator, editor, critic, librarian, historian or teacher of children’s literature, of any country, who shall prepare a paper considered to be a significant contribution to the field of children’s literature. This paper is delivered as a lecture each April or May, and is subsequently published in Children and Libraries, the journal of ALSC. Once the name is made public, institutions wishing to host the lecture may apply. A library school, department of education in a college or university, or a public library system may be considered. Applications to host the 2019 lecture will be available online from ALSC at this spring.

Members of the 2019 Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Committee are: Chair Barbara A. Genco, consultant, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Ernie J. Cox, Prairie Creek Intermediate School, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Julie Dietzel-Glair, Baltimore, Md.; Rebecca D. Heard, Chicago Public Library; and Kiera Parrott, Library Journal/School Library Journal, Brooklyn, N.Y.

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is driven by more than 4,000 members dedicated to the support and enrichment of library service to children. Our members include youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty. ALSC supports its members in engaging communities to build healthy, successful, futures for all children. To learn more about ALSC and how to join, please visit our website at .

For more information on the Arbuthnot Honor Lecture and other 91´«Ã½ Youth Media Awards, please visit .