The 2020 Arbuthnot Lecture with Neil Gaiman site announcement is at the

Neil Gaiman will deliver the 2020 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture. The announcement was made today by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), during the ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits held January 25 – 29, in Seattle, Washington.

“The Arbuthnot selection committee considered Gaiman’s body of literary work for children and scholars, as well as his fierce advocacy for libraries, librarians and literacy,” said 2020 Arbuthnot Committee Chair Lisa Von Drasek.

Neil Gaiman, born in England, is a United States resident. Gaiman’s work has been honored with many awards internationally, including the Newbery Medal. He is credited with being one of the creators of modern comics, as well as an author whose work crosses genres and reaches audiences of all ages. Gaiman is a prolific creator of works of prose, poetry, film, journalism, comics, song lyrics, and drama and a vocal defender of the freedom to read.

 Members of the 2020 Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Committee are: Chair Lisa Von Drasek, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Anna Coats, Livingston (N.J.) Public Library; Dr. Cyndi Giorgis, Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.; Dr. Steven Herb, Penn State University, State College, Penn.; and April Roy, Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, Mo.