Resource Spotlight: ALAN

The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN), an independent assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English, has been around since 1973. While it’s part of an organization geared for teachers, ALAN’s membership also consists of librarians, authors, publishers, other educators, students, and anyone interested in young adult literature. Membership is only $20 for individuals ($10 for students) and does not require NCTE membership.

Members receive a print copy of the ALAN Review three times per year. The journal publishes articles on YA literature and its teaching, interviews with authors, reports on publishing trends, current research on YA literature, reviews of new books, and membership news. They have open calls for manuscript submissions for upcoming issues, like the summer 2010 theme: Interplay: Influence of Film, New Media, Digital Technology, and Image on YA Literature due in March. Electronic copies of back issues dating back to 1994 are available even for non-members. Members also receive a monthly e-mail newsletter, News of Note, compiled by an English education professor.

ALAN hosts an annual workshop in conjunction with the NCTE convention. Attendees are invited to two keynote presentations, discussions with authors about YA trends and directions, and breakout sessions about YA literature. Participants also receive a box of free books from publishers. This year’s convention and workshop just ended (search for #alan2009 on Twitter for lots of discussion), so start preparing for next year. The 2010 Convention, ‘Teachers and Students Together: Living Literate Lives,’ will take place November 18-23, 2010, in Orlando, Florida.

Members can apply for grants of up to $1,500 for research in YA literature. The deadline is annually on September 15 and winners are announced at the ALAN breakfast at the NCTE convention. ALAN also provides travel grants of up to $500 for early-career teachers to attend the ALAN workshop.

ALAN also gives out three awards annually. The ALAN Award honors those who have made outstanding contributions to the field of adolescent literature, including publishers, authors, librarians, scholars, editors, or servants to the organization. The Ted Hipple Service Award is given each year to an individual who has contributed to the ALAN organization. ALAN’s newest award, The Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award, is awarded to the author of a book selected as “the title of the year most relevant to adolescents and having enjoyed a wide and appreciative teenage audience.” The winner for the inaugural award in 2009 was My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger.

Lastly, the ALAN website has an excellent resource for those looking for authors and speakers to visit their school, library, or bookstore. The Speakers Bureau lists agencies that represent speakers for visits; book publishers who coordinate author visits and publicity; and individuals who handle their own bookings.

November 25th, 2009  ♥  Resource Spotlight  ♥  No Comments »