ALSC selects Jessica Agudelo as 2020 Emerging Leader

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced Jessica Agudelo of the New York Public Library’s Bronx Library Center, in the Bronx, NY as its representative in the 2020 Emerging Leader program.

Jessica Agudelo is the Supervising Librarian for the Bronx Library Center’s children’s department where she facilitates community partnerships and coordinates the development of early literacy, bilingual, and technology-based programming. Working for the New York Public Library since 2012, Agudelo, has vast experience in outreach services, partnerships, and children’s and bilingual program development. Agudelo has served on the New York Public Library’s Best Books for Kids committee and assisted with creating its Spanish counterpart, “Mejores libros para pequeños”. Additionally, in 2014, she was awarded a Spectrum Scholarship from the ALA and will serve as chair of the 2021 Pura Belpré Award selection committee.

“Librarians and other library staff see multiculturalism play out daily in its truest and realest form, we are the best advocates for equity and inclusion in society at large,” said Agudelo. “I am grateful to be in a position where I can continue to share my own experience and background and support my multicultural neighbors.”

“We are delighted to welcome Jessica as our 2020 ALSC sponsored Emerging Leader,” said ALSC President, Cecilia P. McGowan. “Her community building and program development skills will benefit ALSC, ALA and the Emerging Leaders Program. We look forward to seeing how the Emerging Leader experience will strengthen her leadership and collaboration skills.”

As ALSC’s representative for the 2020 Emerging Leader program, Agudelo will attend the 2020 Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia, as well as the 2020 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

The Emerging Leaders program enables newer librarians from across the country to participate in workgroups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA’s structure and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity. Emerging Leaders receive up to $1,000 each to participate in the Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference, and each participant is expected to provide years of service to ALA or one of its units.

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is driven by more than 4,000 members dedicated to the support and enrichment of library service to children. Our members include youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty. ALSC supports its members in engaging communities to build healthy, successful, futures for all children. To learn more about ALSC and how to join, please visit our website at www.ala.org/alsc.