91´«Ã½

CHICAGO — The announcement and presentation of the first ever Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction will take place at the 2012 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference from 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. on Sunday, June 24. Attendees at the event will be the first to hear which two authors win the medals for best fiction and nonfiction book for adult readers.

As well as being present at this historic moment in adult book award history, those at the event will hear from the winning authors and from selection committee Chair Nancy Pearl, who will moderate the program. There will also be time to meet, mingle and celebrate over dessert and drinks with literary luminaries, with adult-book-loving colleagues and with 91´«Ã½ leaders, including President Molly Raphael and Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels. The ceremony will include the presentation of medals and $5,000 cash awards to each winner, as well as $1,500 for each of the four finalists.

Attendees are encouraged to for the conference, as space is limited.

The awards are cosponsored and administered by 91´«Ã½’s Booklist and Reference and User Services Association (RUSA). Each year, two winners will be chosen from a shortlist of six announced in May. The shortlist is chosen from among 50 titles on the 2011 Booklist Editors’ Choice and RUSA CODES Notable Books lists. Experts from Booklist and RUSA who work closely with adult readers will select the shortlist and winners, and Nancy Pearl will serve as committee chair for the first three years of the award.

“The Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction recognize literary excellence,” said Vartan Gregorian, president of Carnegie Corporation and past president of the New York Public Library. “But more, they also celebrate the important role librarians play in opening up the world of imagination, education and aspiration to new readers and avid book lovers alike.”

The awards are made possible by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York on the occasion of the foundation’s centennial and in recognition of Andrew Carnegie, one of the greatest benefactors of libraries both in the United States and around the globe, who recognized libraries as indispensable to the progress of society.

Find out about the many other as they’re added—speakers, events, networking opportunities and more. And for general information about the meeting in Anaheim, Calif., June 21-26, 2012, visit us at . Get the best discount with , open until midnight, Sunday, May 13, 2012.

About Carnegie Corporation of New York

Carnegie Corporation of New York was created by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. In keeping with this mandate, the corporation’s work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge, and the strength of our democracy.

About Booklist

is the book review magazine of the 91´«Ã½, considered an essential collection development and readers’ advisory tool by thousands of librarians for more than 100 years. Online includes a growing archive of 135,000+ reviews available to subscribers as well as a wealth of free content offering the latest news and views on books and media.

About Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)

The is responsible for stimulating and supporting excellence in the delivery of general library services and materials, and the provision of reference and information services, collection development, readers’ advisory, and resource sharing for all ages, in every type of library.