Longlist for 2020 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction announced

CHICAGO – A total of 49 books (24 fiction, 25 nonfiction) has been selected for the longlist for the 2020 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction. The list is now available on the awards’ website. The six-title shortlist—three each for the fiction and nonfiction medals—will be chosen from longlist titles and announced on November 4, 2019. The two medal winners will be announced by 2020 selection committee chair Donna Seaman at the Reference and User Services Association’s (RUSA) Book and Media Awards (BMAs) event at the 2020 American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, January 26, 5 -7 p.m.

The awards are funded through a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York, and are cosponsored and administered by Booklist and RUSA. Booklist also sponsors the Michael L. Printz Award, Odyssey Award, and Alex Awards. RUSA’s CODES administers the Notable Books List, The Reading List, The Listen List and the Sophie Brody Medal.
The first single-book awards for adult titles given by the ALA, the Andrew Carnegie Medals reflect the expert judgment and insight of library and book professionals who work closely with adult readers. The Medals and the lists leading up to the selection of the winners serve as a guide to selecting quality reading material. 

The Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction selection committee, appointed annually, includes Booklist editors or contributors, members of RUSA’s Collection Development and Evaluation Section’s (CODES) Notable Books Council, and a representative of the American Booksellers Association. Booklist Editor for Adult Books and 2020 selection committee chair Donna Seaman is joined on the committee by Hilary Albert, Head of Reference, Mahopac Public Library, Mahopac, N.Y.; Barbara Bibel, reference librarian, formerly at Oakland Public Library, now in Berkeley, Calif.; Carol Haggas, former readers’ services advisor, St. Charles Public Library, St. Charles, Ill.; Stacey J. Hayman, librarian, Rocky River Public Library, Rocky River, Ohio; Sarah Goddin, Manager, Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, N.C.; and Patrick J. Wall, Library Director, University City Public Library, University City, Mo..  

“This was an especially exciting year to serve on the Carnegie selection committee,” observes Donna Seaman. “The diversity of voices and subjects, the great vitality and creativity of the writing in both fiction and nonfiction, and the significance and pleasure of the longlist books’ insights and revelations affirmed our belief in the awakening, inspiring, and connecting power of books. We hope that librarians will find that the Carnegie Medals longlist is a lively and rewarding resource for readers’ advisory.”
Find out more about the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction.

About Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York was established in 1911 by Andrew Carnegie to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. In keeping with this mandate, the Corporation’s work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge, and the strength of our democracy.    

About Booklist
Booklist is the book review magazine of the American Library Association, considered an essential collection development and readers’ advisory tool by thousands of librarians for more than 100 years. Booklist Online includes a growing archive of 200,000 + reviews available to subscribers as well as a wealth of free content offering the latest news and views on books and media.

About the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)
The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) is a member community engaged in advancing the practices of connecting people to resources, information services, and collections, building relationships among members from all types of libraries, encouraging openness, innovation, and idea sharing, and promoting excellence in library services and resources.