The Global Literature in Libraries Initiative strives to raise the visibility of world literature for adults and children at the local, national and international levels. We intend to do so by facilitating close and direct collaboration between translators, librarians, publishers, editors, and educators, because we believe that these groups in collaboration are uniquely positioned to help libraries provide support and events to engage readers of all ages in a library framework that explores and celebrates literature from around the world.

We want to increase the visibility of international works in English translation so that more readers can enjoy the amazing diversity in these books and the perspectives they present. And we would like to do this by increasing cooperation between literary translators, international literature advocates, and librarians, who are already experts at guiding readers to new titles. Whether you are a children’s librarian or a YA literature blogger, a rural library director or a teacher at a large urban school with a diverse student population, we would welcome your insights as we explore collaborative opportunities to encourage readers to explore beyond the boundaries of their own culture and language.

Goals & Projects:

–  GLLI Translated Young Adult Literature Book Prize
– Book lists and themes tied to major translation awards and topics – perfect for library displays & orders
– Programming ideas for various library user groups: children, young adults, adults, etc.
– ALA conference involvement: workshops and sessions, networking through various ALA units and offices to explore the best ways to provide information and services to librarians
– Reviews of non-US translations to help librarians become better informed about what is being published around the world (for more information, see Review Guidelines)
– Advocacy on behalf of small publishers to increase their visibility
– General education efforts to help librarians understand more thoroughly the value of translated literature and of contemporary foreign-language literature
– Exploration of ways in which non-US publishers of English translations and non-US, non-English-language publishers can more easily promote their works among libraries

Executive Director:

Dr. Vashalice Kaaba, Valdosta State University, Georgia (USA)

Dr. Vashalice Kaaba, Executive Director, the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative is a librarian-scholar, grant strategist, and educator advancing access to world literature for readers of all ages. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Information Studies (Florida State University), a Master of Science in Education (Iowa State University), and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology (Florida State University). Her work spans the United States, Kenya, and Uganda, where she has led initiatives such as “Library in a Box,” curated digital collections for primary schools, taught undergraduate English courses, and facilitated grant-development trainings with United States Embassy partners. 

A frequent presenter at the Children’s Literature Association, the Association for Library and Information Science Education, the American Library Association, and the Modern Language Association, she researches Black children’s literature, critical librarianship, and global information equity, and has secured more than $1 million in competitive funding for libraries and community organizations. Vashalice serves as Chair of the Services to Children of African Descent Committee within the Black Caucus of the American Library Association and serves on the Grants Committee of the Children’s Literature Association. She has earned honors, including the Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award at Florida State University, and leads the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative’s programs, including the global literature blog and youth literature initiatives, building cross-border partnerships that connect readers, creators, and translators worldwide.

Board Members [remaining bios to be posted shortly]:

Dr. Marc Aronson, Rutgers University, New Jersey

Dr. Marc Aronson is Associate Professor of Practice in the Master of Information program in the School of Communication and Information at Rutgers University. He has worked in the field of literature for younger readers for more than thirty years as an author, editor, speaker, publisher, and critic. The first winner of the American Library Association Robert L. Sibert award for excellence in informational books, he is the only person to have been a winner or finalist for both of the American Library Association’s prizes for excellence in youth nonfiction as both an author and as an editor. The author or co-author of over 25 nonfiction books, he enjoys bringing fresh ideas from scientists, historians, and other experts to a wider audience. His most recent book is Reading the Bones: Homo Naledi and the Mysteries of Human Evolution, co-authored with John Mead, a sixth grade science teacher who has been honored as the nation’s best teacher of evolution. 

A committed internationalist, Dr. Aronson and his wife, the novelist and nonfiction author Marina Budhos, are beginning work on their third book together, the research for which is likely to take them to many parts of the world. At Rutgers Dr. Aronson has created one of the only courses in the entire United States that trains librarians to work with literature for children and teenagers from around the world — and, with the cooperation of the university’s Alexander Library, is curating a collection of international youth literature for the use of students, professors, and libraries throughout the state. 

Katie Day, Tanglin Trust School, Singapore

Katie Day is an international school teacher-librarian in Singapore.  An American expatriate for over 40 years, she has an undergraduate degree in Russian civilization, a master’s degree in children’s literature from the UK, and teaching and master of library and information science degrees via Australia. She is a former president of the Singapore International School Librarian Network and has been heavily involved with various librarian-initiated book awards, such as the Red Dot Book Awards in Singapore and the Siam Book Awards in Thailand, as well as the Neev Book Award in India. Katie has served as the chair of the GLLI Translated YA Book Prize and has contributed to and curated different months on the GLLI blog over the years. She is also one of the inaugural judges of the SCWBI Golden Kite Award for Translation, which begins in January 2027.

Roxanne Hsu Feldman, Fairrosa Press, New York — Outreach Coordinator

Roxanne Hsu Feldman recently retired after more than 30 years working as a children’s and a middle and high school librarian in New York City.  Roxanne considers herself Chinese/Taiwanese/American and is constantly learning more about the cultures and histories of all these heritages. Roxanne grew up in Taiwan, enriched by reading world literature translated into Chinese, her native language: from Cuore (Heart) by Edmondo De Amicis (Italian), Arsène Lupin (Gentleman Thief) by Maurice Leblanc (French), Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi (Japanese), The Naughtiest Girl by Enid Blyton (English), to Greek Mythology and Norse Sagas. She holds a master’s degree in Children’s Literature (from Simmons U.)  Her current research focuses on the history, artistry, and social commentaries of Wu Xia Xiao Shuo (Chinese martial arts novels). Roxanne served on several award committees such as the Newbery, Boston Globe-Horn Book, and Kirkus. 

Dr. Annette Y. Goldsmith, Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel, Los Angeles — Secretary

Dr. Annette Y. Goldsmith has long enjoyed working collaboratively to design community spaces and tools for readers — first as a youth services librarian in Toronto, Miami, and Tallahassee; then as an instructor of online graduate courses in children’s literature and librarianship, most recently for Kent State University; and currently as a Judaica librarian at Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel (STTI) in Los Angeles. Annette was the founding editor of the online international children’s literature journal, The Looking Glass; spearheaded the GLLI Translated YA Book Prize; won a 2023 American Library Association Carnegie-Whitney grant (with Dr. Marc Aronson and David Jacobson) to create GLLI’s “Building a Global Youth Literature Collection 101,” also known as globalyouthlit.org; and runs the virtual STTI Second Sunday Book Club. She has served on numerous children’s and young adult book award committees including the Batchelder Award, the Sibert Medal, the Sydney Taylor Book Award, and the Kirkus Prize.

Dr. Kim Rostan, Wofford College, Spartanburg, South Carolina

Ambika Sambasivan, Sambasivan & Parikh Publishers, New York

Vicky Smith, Portland Public Library, Maine — Treasurer

For 13 years, Vicky Smith was a young readers’ editor at Kirkus Reviews, where covering books in translation was one of her priorities, before becoming access services director at Portland (Maine) Public Library in 2021. Recent activities include a term as chair of USBBY’s Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award nominating committee and service on the task force convened to observe the 25th anniversary of ALA/ALSC’s Sibert Medal. In addition to her role as GLLI treasurer, she sits on both the USBBY board and its Outstanding International Books committee.

For more information about the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative, please read the following articles:

“International Perspectives,” by Karen Van Drie for The School Librarian, a quarterly journal sent to all school libraries in Britain.

American Library Association’s International Relations Round Table Webinar: Secret International Library Networks No One Has Told You About, featuring GLLI Executive Director Karen Van Drie and International School Librarians Network President Katie Day. This webinar had the highest registration numbers of any webinar ever done by the ALA International Relations Round Table.

“Global Literature in Libraries Initiative: Bridging the Translation-Reader Gap,” Porter Anderson

“Global Literature in Libraries Initiative,” Lindsay Davis

“The Global Literature in Libraries Initiative,” Lyn Miller-Lachmann

“Where Do You Want to Go Today? Using Global Literature in Translation in Libraries,” Lyn Miller-Lachmann and Stacey Shapiro

“Read the World! The Global Literature in Libraries Initiative,” Judith Sage and Chrissy Bellizzi

“What Good Are Windows and Mirrors When the Windows Just Look At Your Own Backyard?” Elizabeth Bird

“Kids Need Translations – An Idea Whose Time Has Come,” Annette Goldsmith

“Where Do you Want to Go Today? Reading Global Literature in Translation,” Lyn Miller-Lachmann

Images:
All photographs were taken by Mario Sixtus and used with his permission.
http://sixtus.net/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sixtus/

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