The Children’s Book Council has announced the launch of a scholarship program for those new to the children’s book industry. The CBC is currently accepting applications for two scholarships that will provide entry-level employees from CBC member publishers the opportunity to attend an American Booksellers Association institute in early 2017.
The scholarships are funded by the CBC Early Career Committee and the CBC Diversity Committee and include airfare and hotel expenses to attend either Winter Institute in Minneapolis in January 2017 or Children’s Institute in Portland, Ore., in April 2017. If a scholarship winner choses to attend Children’s Institute, they will work at the CBC/Every Child a Reader table at the conference with a CBC staffer to help sign up booksellers for Children’s Book Week.
The deadline for submissions—which should consist of a 50-to-100-word statement about why the applicant would benefit from the scholarship prize, and one reference contact—are due by November 15 and can be e-mailed to Alexa Frank with “CBC Early Career scholarship application” or “CBC Diversity scholarship application” in the subject line. Winners will be selected by members of the ECC and Diversity Committees by December 1. Managers may also apply on behalf of an entry-level employee from their department whom they think would benefit from the experience.
CBC executive director Carl Lennertz spoke about the impetus for introducing this scholarship program. “I wanted something that puts the smart and passionate CBC committee members in touch with their colleagues at other houses across the country,” he said. “The scholarship theme is borrowed from the [ABA’s] bookseller scholarships, and in this way, CBC can keep contributing to causes of involvement, diversity, and early career support.”
