For immediate release | September 20, 2011

Learn all about the Printz Award in YALSA’s Secrets of the Seal online course

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CHICAGO - For more than a decade, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has honored the best books for teens with the Michael L. Printz Award. Librarians and educators can learn how the committee deems a book Printz-worthy and how to entice teens to read award-winning titles in a new online course offered in fall 2011 by YALSA. The self-paced course takes place Oct. 3–31 and costs $135 for YALSA members, $175 for 91´«Ã½ members and $195 for nonmembers.

Students in the course will:

  • Gain a working knowledge of Printz honor and award books.
  • Explore and practice ways of promoting Printz books to teen and classroom teachers.
  • Review and discuss award criteria and practice reading for those elements.

This class will be taught by Brenna Shanks, a member of the 2011 Printz Award committee and a teen materials selector at the King County Library System in Washington. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more, and all YALSA e-courses are available for licensing; contact Eve Gaus at egaus@ala.org or 1 (800) 545-2433, ext. 5293, for more information.

For more information on YALSA’s online courses, please visit .

For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos and audiobooks for teens. For more information about these awards or for additional lists of recommended reading, go to . For more information about YALSA, please contact us via e-mail, yalsa@ala.org , or by phone, at 1 (800) 545-2433 ext. 4390.

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