CALA - Chinese American Librarians Association 華人圖書館員協會

Dear CALA friends,

Under the direct guidance of the CALA president, Zhijia Shen, the 2010 CALA Best Book Committee (aka CALA Best Book Award Committee) has been undertaking a historical transition from the primary goal of honoring the authors of Chinese descent who published the books in Chinese topics in North America to the goal of producing a list of best books on Chinese topics by Chinese or Chinese descent authors published in a designated calendar year in North America. The change of committee focus was approved by CALA Board of Directors at 2010 Board Meeting in Washington DC. The new committee name, CALA Best Book Committee, will be recommended for Board approval during the annual conference.

During the past a few months, the committee members closely followed the president’s charges, discussed and revised committee handbook descriptions, and developed book selection criteria and guidelines. Along with many CALA members, libraries and publishers support, the team members conscientiously conducted the bibliographic search, reviewed and recommended the short list, and read all 25 books on the short list.  As a result, top ten best books were voted in the following four categories – Academic Books, Adult Fiction and Non-Fiction, Young Adult Fiction and Non-Fiction, and Juvenile Books.  Attached please find the 2010 CALA Best Book List for your reference. 

Sincerely,

CALA 2010 Best Book Committee Members (in alphabetical order):

• Hong Cheng, East Asian Library, University of California (Co-Chair)
• Shuqin Jiao, Pius XII Memorial Library, Saint Louis University (Co-Chair)
• Hongyu Li, Ottenheimer Library, University of Arkansas at Little Rock (2010-2011)
• Guoying Liu, Leddy Library, University of Windsor, Canada (2010-2012)
• Leo Lo, Hale Library, Kansas State University (2010-2012)
• Warren Wright, Chinese American International School, CA (2010-2011)
• Xiuying Zou, East Asian Library, University of Pittsburgh (2010-2011)
• Warren Wright, Chinese American International School, CA (2010-2011)