The Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is offering two new children’s literature courses this summer. These courses are open to non-degree students via the community credit program. Please see the following page for additional information: http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/programs/cpd/Community_Credit/

LIS490ACG African American Youth Literature (Summer Session 2 June
15 – August 6 on campus)

*Description: *An historically informed survey of literature written for and about African American children and young adults from the early twentieth century-when racist caricatures were commonplace in mainstream children’s literature-to the present, when African American authors and illustrators are winning major prizes. Investigation of the evolving historical contexts in which this literature has been produced and evaluated will provide a foundation for analyzing the strategies that have been used to help young readers maintain a positive self-image in the face of what one critic described (as late as 1965) as “the all-white world of children’s books.” Participants will gain a better understanding of the traditions and innovations that characterize African American youth literature and issues related to evaluation of this literature for use in public and school libraries.

*Credit Hours: *4 GR hours

*Schedule: *T: 9:00 – 11:50 a.m. F: 9:00 – 11:50 a.m.
*Location: *T in 46 LISB; F in 131 LISB
*Instructor: *Fern Cory

*LIS590BKO The Picture Book: History, Art, and Visual Literacy (July 13 – 17 in Chicago)*

*Description: *The origins, development, current status, and future potential of the children’s picture book will be explored in depth in this intensive seminar. Concentrating primarily on the genre’s 100-year-long American trajectory, participants will consider the picture book as: 1) a late nineteenth-century Industrial Era artifact and art form; 2) as an element of America’s cultural legacy from Britain; 3) a lively proving ground for the contrasting philosophies of childhood of twentieth-century American librarian-critics and progressive educators; 4) the art form of choice of an extraordinary international roster of contemporary authors and illustrators; 5) as a barometer of mainstream America’s changing attitudes toward its minority cultures; 6) as a bellwether of new design styles and printing technologies. Students will hone their critical skills as they also consider the larger question of the role of traditional print culture in our brave new media world. Field trips are planned to the Newberry Library and Art Institute. [Elective course for Graduate Certificate in Special Collections]

*Credit Hours: *2 GR hours

*Schedule: *M: 9:00 – 4:00 p.m.
T: 9:00 – 4:00 p.m.
W: 9:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Th: 9:00 – 4:00 p.m.
F: 9:00 – 4:00 p.m.
*Location: *National Louis University, Chicago
*Instructor:* Leonard S. Marcus, Children’s Book Historian, Author and Critic