How To Publish A Childrens Book

Publishing A Children's Book

 Continuing education programs for librarians were conducted by project staff" during the year in cooperation with public library systems in urban and rural areas of Wisconsin. The programs included background information about trends in publishing a children's book, a description of the purposes and aims of alternative press publishers, and an overview of the books themselves. Discussion and time for hands-on examination of the books followed formal presentations.

 A CCBC workshop, "Alternative Press Publishing for Children" was held at the Center in May 1981. providing further opportunity to discuss alternative press children's books with school, public, and academic librarians, booksellers, and with potential and active publishers. James Danky opened the workshop with remarks about the role of alternative press publishing in the general world of trade publishing. Representatives from two Midwestern presses then discussed the goals, purposes, and workings of their presses. Janet S. Soule, Metis Press (Chicago), a feminist press, and Alan Kornblum, Toothpaste Press (West Branch, Iowa), handset letterpress bookmakers, participated in a panel discussion. The differences in their philosophies and publications demonstrated the breadth of alternative press publishing a childrens book in the region. Susan C. Griffith and Michele A. Seipp, CCBC Alternative Press Project staff, concluded the workshop with an overview of alternative presses currently publishing for children, emphasizing the evaluation, selection, and acquisition of these books for school and public library collections.

 The program integrated information about publishing a childrens book previously presented in the regional programs and in the CCBC workshop with insights provided by representatives of four alternative publishers of children's books. Harriet Rohmer, Children's Book Press/Imprenta de Libros Infantiles

 These presentations, moderated by CCBC Alternative Press Project staff in Madison, were broadcast over the ETN system to 65 Wisconsin librarians in over 25 locations throughout the state. Because ETN is a multiple-communication system, persons from all over the state participating in the program were able to interact following each presentation, as well as in a final general discussion. Conversing with publishers who were otherwise inaccessible gave Wisconsin librarians and the project staff the opportunity to place knowledge gained from previous programs within a broader perspective.

 In the fall of 1981, the Center received additional Library Services & Construction Act funds to complete the work begun a year before. This project extension provided for the development of an annotated directory of alternative presses which publish books for children and for the production of a sound/slide presentation giving background information about alternative press children's books.