The McConnell Center for the Study of Youth Literature

The McConnell Center for the Study of Youth Literature, named after beloved educator and mentor Anne McConnell, was created and is maintained to serve as a unique examination, study, and research center of the School of Library and Information Science at the University of Kentucky. The McConnell Center supports teaching, learning and research related to children's and teen/young adult literature by serving as a resource for UK students, UK faculty, researchers, public librarians, school librarians, teachers, child care providers, parents, authors and illustrators of youth literature, and other adults who work with children.

A vital gathering place for books and ideas, the McConnell Center is committed to identifying excellent literature for children and adolescents and to bringing this literature to the attention of those adults who have an academic, professional, career, or personal interest in connecting young readers with books.

The McConnell Center's non-circulating collections include current, retrospective, and historical books published for children and teens/young adults.

Want to keep up with current events? Read our Newsletter.

History of the Center

The Center for the Study of Children's Literature was established in 1983 by the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) and the University of Kentucky School of Library and Information Science. The Center was later rechristened The McConnell Center for the Study of Children's Literature in honor of Professor Emerita Anne Y. McConnell. In 2006, the name was altered to reflect the full range of the resources in the collection. The McConnell Center for the Study of Youth Literature contains materials appropriate for children (birth through 12 years of age) and teens or young adults (12 through 18 years of age).

The Collections

The Current Collection is non-circulating and organized by genre: picture books, fiction and non-fiction. Unlike most library collections, these books have not been evaluated and selected by professional librarians. The Current Collection is simply a record of what has been published for children and teens/young adults in the past 12 months. These books are available for examination as an aid in making purchasing decisions or as a tool to expand current knowledge of trends in children's and teen/young adult literature. The McConnell Center is happy to provide working professionals with the opportunity to evaluate first-hand those books they are thinking of purchasing. The Center's database is available online at The McConnell Center for the Study of Youth Literature Database.

The Permanent Collection is non-circulating and consists of those books published prior to the current calendar year that have been retained in the McConnell Center due to their significance to the collection. Award-winning, notable, historic, local, or regional books are retained. Reference materials and periodicals are also available to aid in retrospective collection development, professional development, or research in the field.

The Permanent Collection includes a growing collection of award-winning works. The goal is to create a comprehensive collection of books representing many of the youth literature awards. This includes books that have received the Caldecott Award, the Newbery Award, the Printz Award, the Orbis Award, and the Sibert Medal. Also featured is the Kentucky Collection, a growing selection of books containing Kentucky characters or settings, and books for youth written and illustrated by current and former Kentucky residents.

The Basic Permanent Collection includes picture books, easy readers, fiction (transitional, middle readers, and teen/young adult), and non-fiction. These books have been retained either because they are recommended for school and public libraries or because they are historically significant and may therefore be useful as a teaching tool or for research purposes. Books are organized alphabetically by the author's last name or by the Dewey Decimal System.

The Award-winning Collection is well underway but still in its formative stages. The goal is to create a comprehensive collection of most of the youth literature awards from the inception to the present. The Caldecott Medal, the Newbery Medal, the Printz Award, the Orbis award, and the Sibert Medal titles are shelved independently, in ascending chronological order. The Coretta Scott King award winners and the Pura Belpré award winners are shelved within the Basic Permanent Collection.

The Belpré, Caldecott, King, Newbery, Printz, and Sibert awards are designated by the American Library Association (ALA). The Orbis Award is designated by The National Council of Teachers of English.

For more information about the history of the awards, as well as lists, please visit the following websites:

The Kentucky Collection is in its formative stages. The goal is to form a comprehensive collection of books for youth containing Kentucky characters or settings and books for youth written and illustrated by current and former Kentucky residents. Books are organized alphabetically by the author's last name.

Please click here for Notable Kentucky Youth Authors & Illustrators.

Please click here for The Kentucky Bluegrass Award.

The Reference Collection includes current and historical titles related to literature for the young, including general information about youth literature, biographical materials on authors and illustrators, and resources on intellectual freedom, multicultural literature, and publishing. Books are organized by the Dewey Decimal System.

The Periodical Collection includes journals useful primarily to public and school youth librarians. The primary focus of these journals is most likely to be youth literature or library youth services. Representative titles include The Horn Book, The Lion and the Unicorn, School Library Journal, and Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA). Click here for a complete list of holdings. There is also a small examination collection of magazines for youth. Periodicals are organized alphabetically by title.

The McConnell Youth Literature Conference

The McConnell Center hosts the annual McConnell Youth Literature Conference held in Lexington, KY. The McConnell Conference draws librarians, teachers, and other professionals who work with youth to share ideas, examine materials, and meet authors, illustrators, and other leaders in the field of Youth Literature. The New Book Exhibit and the accompanying free bibliography are made available for examination at the McConnell Youth Literature Conference.

For more information about the McConnell Conference, click here.

People

Dr. Stephanie Reynolds arrived at the University of Kentucky in August of 2007.
She has a Master's of Science in Library Science specializing in Youth Librarianship, and a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Information Science both from the University of North Texas. Dr. Reynolds teaches the children's and young-adult literature courses (LIS610, 611 & 614) and youth services (LIS613). She considers her elementary school librarian one of her greatest childhood influences.

Mercedes Hopewell is a Master's student in the Library and Information Science program. In the spring of 2011 she completed her B.A. in Classics with a minor in Anthropology at the University of Kentucky. She is also the Vice President of the Library & Information Science Student Organization on campus.

Location & Hours

310N Lucille Little Fine Arts Library
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0039

Summer 2012 McConnell Center Hours
Monday: 10:00am-3:00pm
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: 12:00pm-5:00pm
And by appointment.

The McConnell Center is staffed only during the hours indicated above. If you anticipate needing assistance with book selection, it is best to make an appointment.

Click HERE for an interactive map of the University of Kentucky campus and to find directions to King Library.

The McConnell Center phone number is: (859) 257-5797