Linda L. Ernst

Linda L. Ernst has been a children's librarian for more than 30 years. Actively serving very young children and their caregivers has been an important part of her job and one of the most enjoyable ones. Just as parents are encouraged to keep it simple and start early to expose their children to the world of language and literature, Ernst offers assistance in applying this knowledge to the areas of library service and programming for very young children. She has given training workshops for the King County Library, Seattle Public Library, Everett Public Library, and the Sno-Isle Library System in Washington. She has also given workshops in Kentucky, Michigan, San Francisco, and Scottsdale, Arizona. Conference programs include the Pennsylvania Library Association and the Washington Library Association. She has guided and encouraged adults to discover, develop, and to share the early literacy experience with very young children. The Children's and Young Adult Services Interest Group of the Washington Library Association awarded Ernst the 2004 CAYAS Award for Visionary Library Service to Youth. Ernst has served as chair of the Early Childhood Programs and Services Committee for the Association for Library Service to Children and was a member of the 2007 Caldecott Award committee.