Today@Sam Article
Children’s Book Collection Created In Memory Of Late Librarian
April 23, 2019
SHSU Media Contact: Hannah Haney
Members of the Newton Gresham Library have established the Ann Jerabek Memorial Collection in the memory of the late librarian, (Judy) Ann Jerabek.
The collection, which includes approximately 100 titles of picture, children’s and juvenile literature, will be housed on the second floor near the “new books” collection, in the casual seating area by the main entrance.
“The collection was established to recognize Jerabek’s passion for early literacy, and a well-written, well-illustrated story,” Heather Adair, instruction librarian for the NGL said. “The library was determined to develop a memorial collection that was reflective of her passion.”
During her 30 years at Sam Houston State University, Jerabek served as a reference librarian, and the library liaison and subject selector for the Philosophy, Religion, Library Science and Family & Consumer Science departments.
“She delighted in showing us treasures that she found; her treasures being books that were very old, but also first editions, or just current books with exquisite stories or illustrations,” Terrie Newman, administrative associate for the NGL said.
Though the library’s juvenile and children’s literature collection already contained notable award-winning books, such as the “Texas Bluebonnet,” “Newbery” and “Caldecott,” there was a gap in the diversity of the awards included. After identifying an available budget and holes in the collection, potential award winners were identified.
The focus was on 11 national awards and their selections over the last 10 years as well as filling gaps in the collection represented by other popular children’s book awards. The awards selected include the Mildred L. Batchelder Award, Arab American Children’s Book Award, American Indian Youth Literature Award, Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, Pura Belpre Award, Theodore Seuss Geisel Award, Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, Coretta Scott King Award for Children’s and Youth Literature, Michael L. Printz Medal, Robert F. Sibert International Book Medal, and the Sydney Taylor Jewish Libraries Book Award.
A memorial bookplate will be adhered to the inside cover of each book in the collection. Senior Dylan Cartwright, an art student who worked in Jerabek’s department, designed the bookplate.
“She was a super intelligent woman and always had a calm demeanor about her. Every time you would see her in the hallway you would want to smile at her. I was pretty sad hearing about her passing,” Cartwright said. “The bookplate I made is an illustration of a child sitting by a small creek and watching it pass by. The collection to commemorate her will be filled with children’s books and I wanted it to have a similar feeling to the illustrations you typically see in those. I also wanted to tie in Sam Houston to the drawing and so I drew a spot from the duck pond by the Sam Houston Memorial Museum.”
The SHSU community is invited to join members of the NGL for a book dedication ceremony on April 25 at 2 p.m. on the main floor of the library, where books from the collection will be available for review and to check out.
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