Librarians from “Alternative Children’s Library” Panel
l. to r. Allie Bruce, Jennifer K. Hanley-Leonard, Ayanna Coleman, Leah High

With the economy still not fully recovered, what lies ahead for aspiring children’s librarians? Though prospects may seem grim, thinking outside the box may be a solution for those interested in the profession, according to New York Public Library youth materials specialist and School Library Journal blogger Betsy Bird. Bird recently moderated a panel “The Alternative Children’s Library,” in which several children’s librarians discussed their own nontraditional paths to the profession.

The panelists spoke about the challenges that they’ve encountered in their roles and the ways in which their careers differ from those of more typical librarians. Allie Bruce, librarian at the Bankstreet School for Children, an independent K–8 school affiliated with the Bank Street College for Education, is in the unique position of working with very young patrons as well as those with advanced degrees. In addition to providing teachers with materials for lesson plans and helping students look for books, Bruce also often guides students at the college looking for professional reading related to their classes.

“In some ways, I do see myself as an academic librarian,” Bruce tells SLJ, “because I assist grownups with research questions and need to have a thorough grounding in the history of children’s literature, in addition to teaching kids every day.”

Jennifer K. Hanley-Leonard, of The New York Society Library, a private, members-only library located on the Upper East Side, often finds herself in similar situations. While she primarily works with children and their parents, some of her patrons are writers who come to the library in order to get a feel for emerging trends in the industry, to look at current illustration styles, and to research potential publishing houses to pitch.

The career of Ayanna Coleman, Events Associate & Librarian at the Children’s Book Council, differs perhaps the most from the other panelists. She has yet to see a juvenile patron in her library, she notes. Because the CBC is a nonprofit association whose primary goal is to let publishers work together on common issues, the bulk of its visitors are adults in the publishing field rather than children seeking pleasure reading. Coleman describes her role as more a curator than as a children’s librarian: in addition to event planning, she is charged with maintaining a collection of books published over the past year by CBC members, as well as an ongoing collection of award winners. She often meets with editors and designers who browse materials to stay abreast of what other houses are publishing, and fields questions about weeding and maintaining the collection from visitors enrolled in children’s literature classes.

The panelists emphasize a need to be creative when entering the field. Leah High, children’s librarian at the Nolen and Watson Libraries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, says her flexibility positively impacted her career trajectory. While she was unable to find a job after receiving a fine arts degree, working in a public library after college inspired her to attend library school. Her experiences as a high school librarian and later as an after-school program coordinator, combined with her art background, eventually made her an ideal fit for her current position.

Similarly, Coleman’s original intent was to work in children’s publishing. However, finding it difficult to break into the field, she chose to obtain an MLS in order to “learn about one of publishers’ biggest clients.” Although attending library school without the goal of working as a school or public librarian was unusual, Coleman saw it as an opportunity to give herself an edge in a competitive industry. She tells SLJ, “I was all the way in the Midwest and had a very shadowy idea of how I was going to make myself stand out—hoping the library degree would do it.”

Despite the varying paths the panelists have taken, above all, they are united by their genuine love for the subject. Although Coleman’s degree has resulted in a career that is far closer to the publishing industry than to traditional librarianship, ultimately she believes that she is fulfilling the same objective as her peers. “The reason, first and foremost, that I wanted to go into publishing was to find amazing stories that kids would connect to and make sure those stories got published,” Coleman tells SLJ. “As long as I get to put thought-provoking books in the hands of youth, one way or another, I think I would be happy.”

Bruce concurs. She advises those just starting out in the field to, “figure out what your little brand of librarianship is going to be” and emphasizes the importance of following your passions and interests. “Don’t lose your sense of fun about whatever you’re passionate about.”

Free poster:

During April and May, schools and libraries can get a free poster(s) and activity guide by sending a 9” x 12” (for 1–10 posters) or a 10” x 13” (for 11–25 posters) post-paid self-addressed envelope to Children’s Book Council, Attention 2013 Poster Order, 54 W. 39th St., 14th floor, New York, NY 10018. (Note the following weights for poster(s) and envelope: 1 poster (1.2 oz), 10 posters (14 oz), 25 posters (2 lb 6 oz).

Best-selling author/illustrator Brian Selznick has won the Caldecott Medal for The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2007), a Caldecott Honor for The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins (2001) and a Robert F. Sibert Honor for When Marian Sang (2002, all Scholastic).

Children’s Book Week is sponsored by the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader. During its 94 year history, posters have been created by icons in children’s literature such as Ian Falconer, Jon J Muth, Maurice Sendak, Ezra Jack Keats, Richard Scarry, Ellen Raskin, Laurent deBrunhoff, Tomie dePaola, Rosemary Wells, Garth Williams, Marc Brown, and Jerry Pinkney have created posters for the celebration.

(l. to r.) Leonard S. Marcus, Rocco Staino, Robin Adelson, Lena Roy, Charlotte Jones Voiklis (Madeleine L’Engle’s granddaughter), Simon Boughton, and Hope Larsen

From her desk in the cathedral library, L’Engle greeted visitors, worked on her books, and participated in church activities.

On November 29, L’Engle’s birthday, the author’s spirit filled the cathedral once more during a ceremony in which the building was named a “Literary Landmark” in her honor.

More than 100 friends, family and fans gather at the main altar of the cathedral, the world’s largest Anglican church, while those supporting the dedication, and the new literary landmark plaque mounted on the cathedral wall, spoke about its significance.

“St. John the Divine is one of New York’s architectural wonders and spiritual crossroads,” said Leonard S. Marcus, author of the newly published Listening for Madeleine: A Portrait of Madeleine L’Engle in Many Voices (FSG, 2012). “Now, everyone who visits there will know what a special role it played in the writing life of one of America’s greatest authors for children and adults.”

The church played a vital role in the author’s life, according to L’Engle’s granddaughter, Charlotte Jones Voiklis. “The cathedral nurtured her by giving her a writing home,” she said.  At the same time, “the cathedral also expanded her horizons by bringing her into a larger conversation about spirituality.”

The very reverend Dr. James A. Kowalski, dean of the cathedral, recalled that L’Engle once said, “if she could not write she would die.” He added, “We need that voice today—a voice of truth that had an abiding reverence for life’s mysteries.”

Simon Boughton, senior vice president and publishing director of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, recalled how, as a naive young editor at Simon & Schuster, he approached L’Engle about writing a book. That led to a relationship that included the author picking up a lunch check when Boughton’s credit card was declined, and Boughton using her choice seats at the opera.

Visitors felt L’Engle’s presence during the evensong, when a recording of her reading a passage from the Ephesians was played.

Robin Adelson, executive director of the Children’s Book Council, an event sponsor, noted that the  program “connects the real world with the book world.”

Beth Nawalinski, director of marketing and communications at United for Libraries, the division of the American Library Association that administers the Literary Landmark program, explained the process that recognizes locations throughout the country for their connection to significant literary events.

The Empire State Center for the Book, which inducted L’Engle into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame in 2011,  put forward the nomination for the literary landmark.

The cathedral joins 122 literary landmarks across the country, including the Algonquin Roundtable, the Plaza Hotel, and the Little Red Lighthouse in New York City.

On November 27, the Madeleine L’Engle website launched a Facebook page called Tesser Well where, it states, fans can “learn, share and connect.”