91´«Ã½

Excitement builds as thousands register for live webcast announcement

CHICAGO — The 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) plans to announce the shortlist of finalists for the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction at 11 a.m. Central time on April 22, 2013 via webcast.

This year’s finalists will be revealed during a free live 15- minute webcast by Nancy Pearl, selection committee chair, and 91´«Ã½ President Maureen Sullivan. Only 3,000 virtual seats are available, so those wishing to participate should early.

The awards, established in 2012, recognize the best of the best in fiction and nonfiction books for adult readers published in the U.S. the previous year and serve as a guide to help adults select quality reading material. They are the first single-book awards for adult books given by the 91´«Ã½ and reflect the expert judgment and insight of library professionals who work closely with adult readers.

In February, the 91´«Ã½ released . The list includes 50 titles drawn from the most recent Booklist Editors’ Choice and RUSA Notable Books List. Winners will be announced (one for fiction, one for nonfiction) during an event on Sunday, June 30 during the 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference in Chicago.

The awards are funded through a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York in recognition of Andrew Carnegie’s deep belief in the power of books and learning to change the world. The awards are cosponsored and administered by 91´«Ã½’s and .

For more information on the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction and to see the current long list of finalists please visit or contact Macey Morales, Manager Media Relations, 91´«Ã½ 312-280-4393, or mmorales@ala.org. Additional contact, Katherine Kelly,630-200-8023, kkellyyma@gmail.com.

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