The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators has created a YouTube channel that showcases a collection of memorable moments from past conferences, dating back to the 1970s. Free and open to the public, the Vault features videos of acclaimed children’s book authors and artists, editors, literacy advocates, and other industry experts.
The page launched on May 4 with roughly 15 clips—including videos of Kwame Alexander, Judy Blume, Meg Medina, Jerry Pinkney, and Shaun Tan, among others—and more will be added every Tuesday and Thursday. In addition, SCBWI plans to produce new content for the channel.
According to executive director Lin Oliver, the project has been underway for more than a year. The process involved selecting and transferring thousands of hours of footage from nearly 50 years of the organization’s history. Oliver wrote in an email to members, “The release of this archive is a very emotional moment. These clips represent a lifetime’s work that went by in a flash because every day was filled with joy and inspiration and fun.”
The Vault is curated by archivist Theo Baker, and members of the community are invited to email Baker with memories to share.
