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CHICAGO — Booklist and the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announce the completion of their Schools in Need Giveaway. Due to an overwhelming interest, 520 schools have been awarded year-long subscriptions to Booklist and Book Links, with full access to Booklist Online. The winners’ first free issue will be the April 1 issue of Booklist, just in time for , featuring annotations of 91��ý’s Notable and “Best” Lists and spotlights on Health & Wellness, Travel, and Summer Reading. The April issue of Book Links, Spotlight on Language Arts, will also be included.

School libraries serve their communities and students in myriad ways, and their role in selecting high-quality educational materials is critical. A collection-development resource such as Booklist enables school librarians to offer the resources their students need for both their personal interests and academic needs.

The Schools in Need Giveaway, which was launched in November 2017 when complimentary copies of Booklist and Book Links were mailed to all AASL members with their issues of Knowledge Quest, and further supported at AASL’s National Conference in Phoenix, asked entrants to share a few sentences explaining how a collection-development tool such as Booklist could help them better serve their communities. The comments ranged from pithy and light-hearted to powerfully urgent.

“A Booklist subscription would enable us to identify the titles that best suit our students’ needs, especially books that reflect the diversity of our Latino, African-American, and Asian-American students,” a Pennsylvania librarian told us. An Oklahoma counterpart wrote: “Our budget has been cut in half over the last few years, so we have to be really careful to get only the best for our students. I trust Booklist to help with that!”

An Idaho librarian, who described her library as “as small but mighty,” offered this touching plea: “The students and staff at [my library] are devoted bibliophiles, the books on the shelves are well-worn, well-read, and well-loved. Some books could not circulate without constant repair using packing tape. Like many teachers and librarians, I spend my own money on materials and our library budget depends on the kindness (and finances) of occasional donors. Funds are quite tight. I try to read online and at other libraries about books and materials that we might purchase, but to receive a single publication to help me in those efforts would be such a boon. And gift. Our little library, and its patrons, would be grateful.”

Booklist and AASL are pleased to recognize the invaluable financial support of Scholastic, a Platinum Sponsor, in making these valuable tools available to school libraries.

About Platinum Sponsor Scholastic:

Scholastic Inc. is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books, a leading provider of core literacy instruction and professional services, and a producer of educational and entertaining children's media. True to its mission of 97 years to encourage the personal and intellectual growth of all children beginning with literacy, the Company has earned a reputation as a trusted partner to educators and families.

About Booklist, Book Links, and Booklist Online

For over 100 years, Booklist magazine has helped thousands of librarians as a readers’ advisory, collection development, and professional development resource. Booklist magazine, and its quarterly supplement Book Links, deliver over 8,000+ recommended-only reviews of books, audiobooks, and reference sources each year, spanning every age and genre.

Booklist Online includes a growing archive of 180,000+ reviews available to all Booklist subscribers, as well as a wealth of free content offering the latest news and views on books and media. Now you can read the digital editions of Booklist—online or through a mobile device.

A quarterly supplement to Booklist, Book Links magazine is designed for teachers, youth librarians, school library media specialists, reading specialists, curriculum coordinators, and others interested in connecting children with high-quality literature-based resources. Articles provide comprehensive information on using books in the classroom, including thematic bibliographies with related discussion questions and activities, author and illustrator interviews and essays, and articles by educators on practical ways to turn children onto reading.

About AASL

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) is the only national professional membership organization focused on school librarians and the school library community. AASL has more than 7,000 members and serves school librarians in the United States, Canada, and around the world.