GET SET FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE! Click ALAhere and see inside... Cognotes SAN DIEGO — 2011 MIDWINTER MEETING MIDWINTER HIGHLIGHTS Ted Danson: A Love of Acting and Oceans By Brad Martin to help solve this environmen- on the vitality of the world’s LAC Group tal problem. oceans.” Since the 1950s, according “At the current rate, the ed Danson, in a free- to Danson, about 90 percent of oceans will be fished out in ranging interview Janu- the tuna, swordfish, shark and forty or fifty years,” he said, T ary 9 conducted by ALA king mackerel populations have adding that there is good news President Roberta Stevens, been depleted. Despite improve- however, “because fish popu- spoke on everything from his ments in the fishing industry lations are able to rebound first experience on the stage such as more advanced boats quickly, given the chance.” in college to his most recent and higher tech techniques at When asked how librar- work on HBO’s “Bored to finding fish, catches have been ians can help, Danson sug- Death” TV series, but repeat- declining. In addition, Danson gested that librarians are in edly returned to something he said that impact on the ocean’s the position to “point people has cared about for the past 25 floors from modern bottom to information” by suggesting years, which is his love for the trawlers is damaging the areas materials they can read on the world’s oceans and his concern – calling them the “nurseries’ topic. “In the end, we are all for their state and that of the – that young fish need to grow literally in this together,” he fish that live there. and thrive. Danson said this said. “You have to ask yourself Danson told of his love of attack from the top and bottom if this is the kind of world you acting and of becoming wildly is literally “putting the squeeze want in the future.” famous after the television show “Cheers” went into broad syndication. He also shined a light on what this fame has meant to him. “I am grateful for my career as an actor,” Danson said. “One the great things about being successful is that it has given Midwinter attendees get Mardi Gras beads from a stilt walker me access to some amazing kicking off the Wrap Up–Rev Up Closing Event. Click here for people and has provided the more information on the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans. ability for me to talk about things I care about.” Danson told of his book An Afternoon with Neil Oceana, in which he details the crisis the world faces as a Gaiman and Nancy Pearl result of overfishing the oceans Actor, environmental activist and author Ted Danson is interviewed By Stacy L. Voeller, the case of The Graveyard and what needs to be done now by ALA President Roberta Stevens during the President’s Program. Minnesota State Book, I actually know where University Moorhead it started. It was about 1986, ALA Honors Top Youth Authors and Illustrators and I lived in a very, very old, n Sunday afternoon very tall, very, very spindly LA announced the top young adults – including the ten by Joyce Sidman, illustrat- January 9, author Neil books, video and audio- Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, ed by Rick Allen and published Gaiman and librar- » see page 9 A books for children and Newbery and Printz awards – by Houghton Mifflin Books for O at the Midwinter Meeting. A Children, Houghton Mifflin ian Nancy Pearl discussed Gaiman’s award winning book list of the 2011 winners follows: Harcourt; and One Crazy Sum- The Graveyard Book, the first- John Newbery Medal for mer by Rita Williams-Garcia ever book to win both the the most outstanding contribu- and published by Amistad, Newbery and Carnegie Med- tion to children’s literature an imprint of HarperCollins als. Other books by Gaiman Moon over Manifest, writ- Publishers. include Coraline, American ten by Clare Vanderpool, is Randolph Caldecott Gods, Stardust, and Never- the 2011 Newbery Medal win- Medal for the most distin- where. ner. The book is published by guished American picture book Pearl started the conversa- Delacorte Press, an imprint for children tion by asking Gaiman, “When of Random House Children’s A Sick Day for Amos Mc- you are writing, your books Books, a division of Random Gee, illustrated by Erin E. are so wonderfully character House, Inc. Stead, is the 2011 Caldecott driven and I wonder if what Four Newbery Honor Books Medal winner. The book was also were named: Turtle in comes to you first is the char- » see page 8 acter or the story?” Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm Gaiman replied, “As an and published by Random author I tend to be less driven House Children’s Books, a di- by the story than I feel I ought vision of Random House, Inc.; Inn vative to be. What I tend to begin Heart of a Samurai written by i n t e r f a c e s plotting by is character and Margi Preus and published by Amulet Books, an imprint of Click here to see place, and place for me is so Newbery Medal winner and best-selling author Neil Gaiman ABRAMS; Dark Emperor and our ad on page 3. huge and important and very gives librarian, best-selling author, and literary critic Nancy Pearl Other Poems of the Night writ- often the starting point. In a hug backstage. Page 2 • San Diego Midwinter Highlights Cognotes Stonewall Book Awards Announced he 2011 Stonewall Book Awards the Dress, written by David Walliams were announced at the Midwin- and illustrated by Quentin Blake. Tter Meeting in San Diego by the The Barbara Gittings Literature Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgen- Award was given to More of This World dered Round Table (GLBTRT) of the of Maybe Another by Barb Johnson. 2011 Midwinter Meeting SAN DIEGO American Library Association. The Three Barbara Gittings Literature Stonewall Book Awards are given Award Honor Books were named: Pro- annually to English-language works bation by Tom Mendicino; The More I of exceptional merit relating to the Owe You by Michael Sledge; and Hold- gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgen- ing Still for As Long as Possible by Zoe der experience. The awards will be Whittall. presented to the winning authors or The Israel Fishman Non-Fiction editors at the American Library As- Award was given to Inseparable: De- sociation Annual Conference in New sire between Women in Literature by Orleans in June. Emma Donoghue. Four Israel Fish- “The list of books we had up for man Non-Fiction Award Honor Books consideration for the 2011 Stonewall were named: A Great Unrecorded Book awards was an embarrassment of History: A New Life of E.M. Forster ALA President Roberta Stevens and Chair of the Exhibits Roundtable Gene Shimshock riches to say the least,” said Committee by Wendy Moffatt; Just Kids by Patti open the Exhibits on Friday, January 7 as the ALA Executive Board looks on. Chair, Lisa Johnston. Smith; The Right To Be Out: Sexual The Children’s and Young Adult Lit- Orientation and Gender Identity in erature Award was presented to Almost America’s Public Schools by Stuart Perfect written by Brian Katcher. Beigel; and The Secret Historian: The Rhodes Presents Librarians with a Reverie Four Stonewall Children’s and Life and Times of Samuel Steward, on the Effect of Technological Innovations Young Adult Award Honor Books were Professor, Tattoo Artist, and Sexual named: will grayson, will grayson, writ- Renegade by Justin Spring. on Words and Thought Processes ten by John Green and David Levithan; For more information about the By Frederick J. Augustyn, Jr. social rather than a solitary, meditative Love Drugged, written by James Klise; Stonewall Book Awards, please visit The Library of Congress experience. Students in ancient times Freaks and Revelations, written by http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/glb- recited passages of works they wished Davida Wills Hurwin; and The Boy in trt/stonewall/index.cfm. wentieth-century historian to remember near particular buildings Richard Rhodes, the author or and conjured up images of those struc- AASL Announces Preconference Lineup Teditor of 22 books including the tures when they sought to remember Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, those passages. Socrates and many of he American Association of even get a sneak peek at the newest and National Book Critics Circle his contemporaries feared that learn- School Librarians (AASL) top 25 websites! Award winning The Making of the ing to write would foster forgetfulness Twill offer two preconferences Terry Young and Nancy Teger Atomic Bomb (1986); Dark Sun: The because, in their opinion, writing was in New Orleans during the ALA will lead a panel of school librar- Making of the Hydrogen Bomb (1995); a lazy way to remember. The great Annual Conference. The preconfer- ians in a discussion on disaster and his latest The philosopher consid- ences will be held Friday, June 24. preparedness at the preconfer- Twilight of the Bombs ered writing to be like The full-day interactive precon- ence, “Disaster Preparedness for (2010), delivered the painting, that is, only ference, “AASL’s Top 25 Websites School Librarians.” Attendees will 12th annual Arthur an approximation of for Teaching and Learning: Cat- gain valuable insight to disaster Curley Memorial reality. egories, Criteria, and Collaborative planning as experts share their Lecture on Saturday, The introduction of Strategies,” will offer an in-depth experiences, successes and lessons January 8. the printed book creat- look at the 2010 Best Websites for learned. Learn the ups and downs Rhodes paid hom- ed even more turmoil Teaching and Learning.