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April 25, 2008
Madeline Walton-Hadlock Wins Penguin Young Readers Group Award
SLIS alum Madeline Walton-Hadlock is one of four librarians nationwide who recently received the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Penguin Young Readers Group Award. The award enables professionals to attend their first ALA annual conference, and is specifically designated for librarians with less than 10 years experience who are working directly with children. In addition, as part of the award, Walton-Hadlock has been invited to attend the Newbery/Caldecott Banquet to see who will be chosen as this year’s best children’s authors and illustrators.
After graduating from SLIS in 2006, Walton-Hadlock took a position as a youth services librarian at San José Public Library’s Dr. Roberto Cruz Alum Rock branch. She did an internship at an academic library as well, but decided that her true passion was working with children and families. "There is a large need for literacy education for families," she says. "Often, we are introducing kids to libraries for the first time, and building a bond that will last into adulthood." She enjoys helping parents learn how the things they do at home can help encourage literacy for their children.
Walton-Hadlock is also an active member of ALSC's Children and Technology Committee. The committee has recently begun a process of redefining its role, conducting a survey to determine what libraries need. She is helping the committee develop a wiki, and will be presenting a program at ALA in Anaheim about gaming and other technologies, and how they can be incorporated into children's library services.
One way that Walton-Hadlock has expanded her ability to provide services to children is through her recent involvement in an invitational seminar where she learned valuable tips about reviewing children’s books. The inaugural William C. Morris Seminar on book evaluation training was held at ALA Midwinter, and provided Walton-Hadlock with the opportunity to hone her reviewing skills and learn more about issues such as evaluating art in children's books.
"If I could give one piece of advice to current students," she says, "it would be to do as much as possible outside of school." She encourages SLIS students to seek out internships and volunteer work, and to interview professionals in various types of libraries. These types of activities will help connect what students are learning in their classes with real world experience. "It will help not only to figure out what you want to do, but also will give focus to what you’re learning in school."
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