A Cincinnati school librarian has been named to be part of a committee for a national book award that focuses on non-fiction books related to the LGBTQ+ experience.
Megan Whitt is the head librarian at The Seven Hills Schools’ Middle and Upper School in Madisonville. She recently became one of 11 librarians chosen for the American Library Association’s Stonewall Book Award Committee for the Israel Fishman Non-Fiction Award. She will serve a two-year term beginning in February.
“I was very excited to hear I had been selected to serve on this committee,” Whitt said in a press release. “Literary awards recognize exceptional writing, which calls attention to talented authors and diverse voices.”
The Stonewall Book Awards are given annually to English-language books for exceptional merit relating to the LGBTQ+ experience. The committee will read nonfiction books recommended by members and submitted to them for consideration. The committee then discusses the books and selects winners.
“Awards bring books to a wider audience and can provide career opportunities for writers. Specifically, the Stonewall Awards are a way to promote and elevate literature by and about members of the LGBTQ+ community. The award provides visibility and support for queer authors, helping to foster greater representation and understanding within the literary world,” Whitt said.
Head of Seven Hills’ middle school, Bill Waskowitz, praised Whitt’s dedication to literature and her efforts in educating students on diversity.
“Megan is a stalwart voice in our Seven Hills community, who is always championing those voices, who are often underrepresented, helping our students to learn and appreciate these individuals,” Waskowitz said.
Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H; The Women’s House of Detention: A Queer History of a Forgotten Prison by Hugh Ryan; Faltas: Letters to Everyone in My Hometown Who Isn’t My Rapist by Cecilia Gentili and Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir by Akwaeke Emezi are some of the most recent winners of the Israel Fishman Non-Fiction Award.
Learn more about the Stonewall Book Awards here.
This article appears in Jan 22 – Feb 4, 2025.
