The John and Patricia Beatty Award
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The California Library Association's John and Patricia Beatty Award honors the author of a distinguished book for children or young adults that best promotes an awareness of California and its people. A committee of librarians selects the winning title from books published in the United States within a given year. Patricia Beatty donated the initial cash endowment for the Award. It now honors both her husband, John Beatty, who served as professor of English history and humanities at the University of California at Riverside prior to his death in 1975, and Patricia herself who died in 1991. Together the Beattys wrote eleven books of fiction for young readers; Patricia Beatty wrote numerous other books for young people, of which many have California or western settings. It was Patricia Beatty's hope that the Award will encourage the writing of quality children's books that bring us an awareness of California, its heritage or its future.
Date Due:
The deadline for submission is February 10, 2009. If you wish to submit a book to the Beatty Committee for consideration, please send it, with contact information, to the CLA address in gray at the bottom of the page.
Winners Announced
The John and Patricia Beatty Award winner is announced each year during National Library Week and presented at the California Library Association Annual Conference each November. First presented in 1989 for a book published in 1988, the award is gaining in reputation and prestige due to the excellence of the books it has honored.
Each winning author is introduced at the Opening Session of the CLA conference. The prize of $500 and an engraved plaque are presented to the winner during the annual Beatty Breakfast. The Breakfast provides a forum for the author to speak about his/her book and the opportunity for those in attendance to purchase copies of the book and have them signed.
The Beatty Award Medal was designed by Miyo LeFever.