Booklist
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| Categories | Book reviews, Book industry, Library science |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 22 issues per year |
| Publisher | American Library Association |
| First issue | January 1905 |
| Country | United States |
| Based in | Chicago, Illinois |
| Language | English |
| Website | www |
| ISSN | 0006-7385 |
| OCLC number | 1536781 |
Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. Booklist’s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is available to subscribers in print and online. Booklist is published 22 times per year, and reviews over 7,500 titles annually. The Booklist brand also offers a blog, various newsletters, and monthly webinars. The Booklist offices are located in the American Library Association headquarters in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood.
Booklist began publication in January 1905 to "meet an evident need by issuing a current buying list of recent books with brief notes designed to assist librarians in selection," noted an introduction attributed to the American Library Association Publishing board. "Other features, such as annotated lists on current topics, will probably be added later, and in general, any matter useful to those in charge of smaller libraries will here find an appropriate place."[2]
In 1905, the annual subscription fee was only 50 cents. Initially, Booklist was subsidized by a $100,000 grant from the Carnegie Foundation, known for its turn of the century endowments for public and university libraries. At the time of its inception, the journal mainly contained condensed summaries of only 25-50 words. The first editions were published in Boston, but in 1913, the Booklist offices were moved to the American Library Association headquarters, located in the McCormick Mansion in Chicago, Illinois. By the 1930s the reviews were more in-depth and the journal began to include some articles. In October 1939, just a few weeks after the start of World War II, Booklist published a very helpful article "Books for the 'Long and Calm View': On the Crisis, Its Background and Implications to the United States" that addressed "the demand for impartial books without the emotionalism of propaganda."[3] The editor wanted to make sure that in the midst of a world crisis, library patrons had their questions answered and all points of view given.
From the 1950s to the 1960s, Booklist reviews were extended to a limit of 150 words, generally three full sentences. Reviews were hand-written in pencil on yellow legal paper, edited, and given to the office secretary to be typed. At this time, artistic design choices for the magazine were minimal. The only visual change between issues was the solid color of the plain cover.
The 1970s saw a great deal of change in the Booklist offices. A Young Adult Books editor was hired as adolescent literature became more popular. The publication of such books as Judy Blume’s Forever, the Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, and The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton marked a need for someone to evaluate books that were not meant strictly for either children or adults.
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