During March 2020, The University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) will award over $23,200 in new, free books to elementary, middle, and high school libraries in Alabama via the SLIS Book Bonanza for the Black Belt & Beyond Program.
School librarians in the Black Belt region were asked to apply for the book give-away program in February 2020. We received applications from 26 highly deserving schools. The judges chose five school libraries in the Black Belt Region of the state to receive on average $3300 each in brand new children’s and/or young adult books. The judging of the applications was rigorous, as every school exemplified a significant need.
We have selected also two Book Bonanza Beyond winners. The Beyond winner is a low-income private school in the Black Belt Region of the state, or a public school demonstrating significant economic need in an area of the state outside of the Black Belt. The purpose of this award is to give an equally deserving school library, that is not eligible to be a Book Bonanza for the Black Belt Winner, a one-time opportunity to address literacy needs in their school community. Each of these schools will also receive on average $3300 in brand new children’s and/or young adult books.
University of Alabama SLIS graduate students participated in the judging of applications and selection of books for the winning school libraries.
Please join SLIS in congratulating the following winning school libraries:
2020 Book Bonanza Black Belt Winners:
Aliceville Elementary School, serving grades K-6 (Pickens County), Librarian Shannon Moore
Dixie Elementary School, serving grades PreK-5 (Russell Country), Librarian Charity Wade
Goshen High School, serving grades 7-12 (Pike County), Librarian Kim Dillard
Moundville Elementary School, serving grades PreK-5 (Hale County), Librarian Wendy Tucker
William R. Martin Middle School, serving grades 7-8 (Dallas County), Librarian Debra Stauffer
2020 Book Bonanza Beyond Winner:
Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, serving grades PreK-5 (Madison County), Librarian Jared Wasson
Westlawn Middle School, serving grades 6-8 (Tuscaloosa County), Librarian Georgia Tidwell
Note: County listed is the county in which the school resides and not necessarily the name of the school system.
Established in 2009 by Dr. Jamie Campbell Naidoo, the SLIS Book Bonanza for the Black Belt (& Beyond) is an annual program that provides free new books to school libraries in the Black Belt region of state. Schools in the Black Belt region are encouraged to apply again in January 20201 for a chance to receive free books for their school libraries during the next SLIS Book Bonanza for the Black Belt & Beyond Program. Low-income private schools in the Black Belt Region or schools in economically disadvantaged areas of the state outside the Black Belt are encouraged to apply next year (in January 2021) to be a Beyond Winner. If you need additional information about the program, please contact Dr. Jamie C. Naidoo at jcnaidoo@slis.ua.edu or SLIS at 205-348-4610. Information is also available on the program website: http://blackbeltbookbonanza.weebly.com.
