Stow Librarian Looks Forward to Virginia Hamilton Conference

Teen Librarian Christina Getrost has been on the Advisory Board of Kent State’s Virginia Hamilton Conference on Multicultural Literature for Youth for eleven years and her enthusiasm for the conference is only growing stronger. Started in 1984 at Kent State University, this conference celebrates and promotes multicultural literature for children and teens. It is the longest running U.S. event to focus exclusively on multicultural literature for young people.

Christina Getrost received her Master of Library Science degree from Kent State and is currently Teen Librarian at the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library. Area teens know her for the book club she runs in conjunction with Stow High School and for her popular anime and photography events at the library. Dr. Carolyn Brodie, co-founder of the Virginia Hamilton Conference, asked Getrost to be a part of the 15-member Advisory Board because of her extensive knowledge of young adult literature. Board members suggest speakers for each year’s conference and select the winners of the Virginia Hamilton Essay Award and The Virginia Hamilton Literary Award. They also award the Virginia Hamilton and Arnold Adoff Creative Outreach Grants for Teachers and Librarians. Getrost is proud of her role, saying, “It’s a great honor to participate.” 

This year’s conference runs Thursday, April 4 and Friday, April 5 at Kent State University. Getrost will be moderating the Authors’ Panel on Thursday evening. Authors Angela Johnson and Gary Schmidt will speak at the conference, as will illustrator Yuyi Morales. Getrost says she is especially looking forward to meeting Schmidt, having particularly enjoyed his popular Newberry Honor book, “Okay for Now.” Favorite speakers from past years include Laurie Halse Anderson, Lisa Yee and Tomi DePaola.

Educators, librarians and fans of children’s and young adult literature can find out more about the conference and also register for it on the website, http://virginia-hamilton.slis.kent.edu, or by calling Kent State’s Office of Continuing and Distance Education at (330) 672-3100.