CILIP | Medals Celebrations

Celebrations

Celebrations associated with the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway medals.

The Carnegie Medal 21st Birthday

The minutes show that in 1956 a 21st birthday celebration for the Carnegie award was planned. It was suggested that a commemorative booklet and a celebration with all past winners taking part would be suitable. It was later noted that LA Council discussed a 21st birthday celebration but as no 1955 book was being awarded the medal, it would be appropriate to celebrate with at conference in 1957.

Publications Committee had already considered celebrating the 21st anniversary and it was suggested they produce a commemorative book. “Chosen for children”, (1957) edited by Marcus Crouch, is an account of the books which have been awarded the Carnegie medal from 1936-1975. The cover illustration is by Victor Ambrus. (0853653496 The Library Association.)

It was revised in 1967, and again in 1977 with Alec Ellis. They also planned a luncheon to be held at the Savoy or Dorchester Hotel.

There was also a plan to make a tape recording of the voices of the writers who won the medals “so that posterity may hear the voices of these writers”. The location of these tapes is still being researched.

Youth Libraries Group 21st anniversary
On October 18, 1969 at Ridgemount Street, a cheese and wine celebration was held to mark the Groups’ 21st anniversary. Honorary membership of the group was presented to Eileen Colwell as she was largely responsible for inaugurating the section in 1947 and gave outstanding service as a committee member for over 20 years. Mr Alan Garner and Mr Charles Keeping spoke about their work and future developments in books for children.

Youth Libraries Group 30th anniversary and LA Centenary Year

On October 5, 1977 YLG celebrated the 30 the anniversary of the formation of the section and 100 years of the Library Association. There was a celebration lunch, when the CKG medals were awarded, and also an evening party at which the Honorary membership was presented to Marcus Crouch. Former winners were also invited to the YLG party as letters in the archives show. (Link to archive letters from Jan Mark, Edward Ardizzone, Gail E Haley)

The Carnegie Medal Golden Jubilee 1986

YLG celebrated the Carnegie Medal Golden Jubilee in 1986. This event was held in Harrogate in association with Woodfield & Stanley Ltd of Huddersfield and the Carnegie UK Trust. Woodfield and Stanley were also celebrating their 40th anniversary. They provided a display of all the winning titles still in print which totalled 47 out of the 50 titles.

As Mr Woodfield was at the first Carnegie Medal presentation in 1937 at the Library Association conference at Scarborough, he recounted his memories of the occasion.

HARROGATE.doc

A publication was prepared to mark the event - called “50 Years of the Carnegie Medal- a celebration”, it was compiled by Derek Lomas. It included a review of each of the winning Carnegie Medal titles. It was produced with a golden cover with a replica of the medal. A YLG/LA publication, it also received funding from the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust.

Updated: 06 May 2008