President's Message

Dear USBBY members,
 
We value your membership in USBBY and are always trying to find better ways to serve our members.  In this spirit we decided to move to a calendar year membership so everyone’s membership in USBBY would be from January 1 through December 31. This change will better align USBBY with the practices of other professional organizations and make it easier for you to remember when to renew your membership in USBBY. You should have received an email regarding this transition that is specific to your situation.  We recognize that this change may result in some questions or concerns.  Please reach out to me at [email protected] or to Christina Moorehead at [email protected]  with any individual questions you may have.  We are committed to meeting your needs as we make this change.
 
Save the date for the USBBY Annual Meeting, virtual again this year on Saturday, November 6, 2021.  The meeting will be held at Noon (Eastern); 11:00 a.m. (Central); 10:00 a.m. (Mountain) and 9:00 a.m. (Pacific).  Sign up here at https://tinyurl.com/usbby2021. Details about the special program will be sent in the next few weeks.

Planning is progressing well for the 14th IBBY Regional Conference at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, March 4-6, 2022.  We hope to see you there.  Early bird registration is now open:  https://www.usbby.org/regional-conference.html

Bookbird:  A Journal of International Children’s Literature is seeking a new editor or editorial team to begin in January 2023.  Information about the editorship and application can be found at  https://www.ibby.org/fileadmin/user_upload/IBBY_Bookbird_Search_for_Editors.pdf

Our Twinning partners, IBBY Haiti and IBBY Lebanon, are experiencing an especially dire time.  An earthquake in Haiti has already killed more than 2000 people and displaced tens of thousands.  Lebanon is in a state of political and economic crisis. Shereen in Lebanon shared that there is no fuel, electricity or medicine.  USBBY has learned about courage and resilience from our Twinning partners who quickly find ways to help children during crisis situations. We hope you will consider contributing to the Children in Crisis Fund to support their efforts: https://www.usbby.org/donate.html

If you have suggestions or ideas for USBBY or would like to volunteer for a committee, please contact me at: [email protected]
​
Wishing you all the best,
Evelyn “Evie” Freeman, Ph.D.
USBBY President
​