Logged minutes will mean donated books in the 2019 Scholastic summer reading challenge; Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Awards announced; Library of Congress puts rare Chinese books online, and more in this edition of NewsBites.

Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge Adds Book Donation

Every summer, Scholastic runs a reading challenge. This year, as readers log their minutes, they will not only be building toward winning the publisher’s competition but also giving back to peers who don’t have the same access to books. The Scholastic Read-a-Palooza Summer Reading Challenge is a free, online reading program open to kids in all U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia. As part of the 2019 Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza, kids and families can help get at least 200,000 books to kids across the country through corporate donations and book drives. 

Students can be registered by an educator, public librarian, or community organization leader. They may also sign up independently with help from a parent or guardian. Once registered, they can begin logging minutes and unlock digital rewards as they complete weekly reading challenges. The contest started May 6 and closes at midnight on September 6. Winners will be announced Wednesday, September 25—Scholastic will name the top school in each state, along with the top 10 libraries and community partners nationwide with the most minutes read.

Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Awards Announced

Peter Hautman and Courtney Summers won the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Awards for Best Juvenile and Best Young Adult, respectively.

Hautman’s middle grade novel Otherwood earned the award for Best Juvenile. The other juvenile nominees were: Denis Ever After by Tony Abbott; Zap! by Martha Freeman; Ra the Mighty: Cat Detective by A.B. Greenfield; Winterhouse by Ben Guterson; Charlie & Frog: A Mystery by Karen Kane; and Zora & Me: The Cursed Ground by T.R. Simon.

Summers’ Sadie, the  2019 Odyssey Award winner for audiobook, won best YA. The other YA nominees were: Contagion by Erin Bowman; Blink by Sasha Dawn; After the Fire by Will Hill; and A Room Away From the Wolves by Nova Ren Suma.

Each year the Mystery Writers of America presents the Edgar Allan Poe Awards to the best mystery fiction, nonfiction, and television published and produced the previous year.

Grant Helps NYC Summer Reading Program

A $1 million grant from the New York Life Foundation was awarded to the Brooklyn Public Library, Queens Library, and New York Public Library (which covers the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island) to support annual efforts by the libraries to encourage independent learning during the summer months. The funds support the summer reading program, as well as various youth education programs, including those focusing on tech, science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM), and history.

The summer reading program launches in June at more than 215 library branches in the five boroughs. Kids and teens read as many books as possible, earn prizes, and participate in various kinds of engaging in-branch activities.

The New York Life Foundation is the largest corporate funder of NYC’s Public Libraries summer reading program.

IMLS Announces National Medals 

The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced the 10 recipients of the 2019 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor given to libraries and museums that make "significant and exceptional contributions to their communities...Selected from 30 national finalists, the winners of the 2019 National Medal for Museum and Library Service are addressing unique issues and opportunities within their communities through their programs, services, and partnerships."

The 2019 National Medal recipients are: 

• Jamestown S'Klallam Tribal Library (Sequim, WA)
• Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (Ann Arbor, MI)
• New Haven Free Public Library (New Haven, CT)
• Gulfport Public Library (Gulfport, FL)
• Meridian Library District (Meridian, ID)
• Barona Band of Mission Indians - Barona Cultural Center and Museum (Lakeside, CA)
• New Children's Museum (San Diego, CA)
•  Orange County Regional History Center (Orlando, FL)
• ·National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel (Memphis, TN)
• South Carolina Aquarium (Charleston, SC)

Rare Chinese Books Now Online 

The Library of Congress (LOC) has digitized 1,000 Chinese rare books produced before 1796, which are now available online, in recognition of Asian Pacific American Heritage month. The Chinese Rare Book Digital Collection includes the most valuable titles and editions housed in the Library’s Asian Division, some of which date as far back as the 10th century and are the only extant copies in the world, according to the LOC.

This new digital collection brings together printed books, manuscripts, Buddhist sutras, works with hand-painted pictures, local gazetteers and ancient maps, encompassing a wide array of disciplines and subjects in classics, history, geography, philosophy and literature.

MakerSpace Bus Tour Hits Twins Cities

The ITEM MakerSpace Bus Tour took school and public librarians, technology integration teachers, and college professors along for a ride as it visited Twins Cities makerspace locations Leonardo's Basement, Minneapolis Central Library, Create[space], Arlington Hills Community Center, and Nicollet Middle School in Burnsville.

The Minnesota tour was sponsored by MackinMaker, Follett, ABDO, Makedo, and Bitsbox.