About the award<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhen Carol Kuhlthau published “School Librarian\u2019s Grade-by-Grade Activities Program” in 1981, she never imagined the scope of its success. Over the years, the book sold more than 30,000 copies, and now its popularity is helping a new generation of libraries flourish in Brazil.<\/p>\n
That international connection came about in 2001, when Bernadette Campello, a professor of library and information studies at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, proposed translating the book for use by Brazil\u2019s librarians.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was thrilled by the book\u2019s original success,\u201d Kuhlthau says. \u201cAnd Bernadette\u2019s project represented another opportunity to develop and encourage even more school librarians.\u201d<\/p>\n
Campello led a team of six Brazilian library professionals who translated the book into Portuguese and updated it to include ideas for using current technology. Published by Aut\u00eantica Editora under the Brazilian title Como Usar a Biblioteca na Escola, the book includes a complete sequential activities program to match K-8 students\u2019 developmental stages with their library and information needs.<\/p>\n
To further encourage library services for Brazil\u2019s children, Kuhlthau insisted that the Federal University of Minas Gerais retain her royalties and use them to support library studies, projects, and students. \u201cI could see that there was a lot of interest there,\u201d Kuhlthau says. \u201cAnd I wanted to give Brazil\u2019s librarians the recognition that they were doing something good.\u201d Since then, Campello has also led the initiative of translating a second publication of Kuhlthau\u2019s, “Teaching the Library Research Process” (Aut\u00eantica Editora, 2011), with the same generous donation of royalties.<\/p>\n
Campello used Kuhlthau\u2019s financial gift to create the Carol Kuhlthau Award, which supports worthy library projects for children. In September 2004, the award\u2019s first four recipients were selected from among 36 proposals. \u201cThere are some very interesting projects going on in our small towns,\u201d Campello reported. \u201cThis is a wonderful incentive for that good work to continue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Else Yvonne Pinto da Silva Cruz of the Colagio Presbiteriano Mackenzie Tombora won first prize in the Librarian\u2019s category for her project \u201cPlanning a school library,\u201d which addresses multiple facets of the library environment, including books, research, images, literature, music, fantasy, and magic. In the Teacher Librarian category, Sirlene Silveira Tavares Cunha of the Escola Municipal Maria Loreto dos Santos won first prize for \u201cContinued silent reading.\u201d To help children appreciate reading and develop positive attitudes toward books, Cunha\u2019s project will engage students and staff in daily five-minute silent-reading breaks. Second prizes were awarded to Marildete Malta Jacques of the Escola Estadual Dr. Ulisses Vasconcelos in the Librarian category and Mara Lacia Alvarenga of the Escola Municipal Dona Gabriela in the Teacher Librarian category. Jacques\u2019 \u201cEmotions\u201d project will use library activities and materials to help children express feelings, develop self-respect, and work well with colleagues. Alvarenga\u2019s project, \u201cThe world of literature,\u201d will expose children to a variety of authors, thereby enhancing their critical, creative, and vocabulary skills.<\/p>\n