The American Library Association (ALA) has named its Honorary Chair of National Library Week 2024: Meg Medina, an award-winning author and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. The announcement was made on November 30th by the ALA.
The ALA's press release announced that National Library Week is a celebration of the vital role libraries and library workers play in communities and schools. It will be commemorated from April 7-13, 2024, marking the event's 66th year.
The theme for the forthcoming National Library Week is "Ready, Set, Library!". According to the ALA press release, this theme underscores the dynamic role libraries play in our continually online world. Libraries serve as spaces where people can connect with others, acquire new skills, and focus on what truly matters.
Meg Medina, a Cuban-American author appointed as Honorary Chair of National Library Week 2024 by ALA served as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature from 2023 to 2024. She is renowned for her broad range of works catering to diverse audiences. Her novel "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" received a Newbery Medal in 2019 and earned acclaim from the New York Times. Its sequel—"Merci Suárez Can’t Dance"—received five-star reviews while her picture book published in 2020 titled "Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away" won a Charlotte Zolotow Award and was selected as the Jumpstart Read for Record selection in 2020 after reaching over two million readers. Her other noteworthy books include "Mango, Abuela, and Me," and "Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass".
ALA President Emily Drabinski expressed her delight about Medina's appointment as Honorary Chair of National Library Week 2024 stating that "As National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature, she embodies our profession’s commitment to youth literature. Medina’s staunch support for the right to read and her advocacy for Latino and African American youth are exactly what we celebrate this week."
Expressing her excitement about being named the honorary chair of National Library Week for 2024, Medina said that "Libraries connect our communities and enrich our lives in ways we may not realize, and one of my greatest pleasures is discovering the unexpected and beautiful things libraries offer. From book groups to lending sports equipment to providing a safe after-school hangout space and so much more, libraries support us wherever we find ourselves on the roadmap through life’s journey."
