Gerhardt to Retire as SLJ Editor-in-Chief

Staff -- School Library Journal, 6/1/1998

Lillian N. Gerhardt, whose name has become synonymous with School Library Journal, announced that she will retire as Editor-in-Chief on August 31.

In 32 years at SLJ -- some three-quarters of the magazine's existence -- Gerhardt has won numerous awards, both for her incisive editorials and for her contributions to youth services in school and public libraries. "Her beautifully crafted editorials and precision, as well as her orchestration of the editorial content of SLJ, has made it the most consequential publication in the field," wrote the magazine's publisher, Fred Ciporen, in a memo announcing Gerhardt's retirement.

The honors bestowed on Gerhardt over the years include the American Library Association's 1995 Grolier Foundation Award, recognizing "an unusual contribution to the stimulation and guidance of reading by children and young people;" the 1994 Jesse H. Neal Award from the American Business Press for outstanding editorial writing; and several Medals of Excellence, also for editorial writing, from Cahners, SLJ's parent company. Most recently, ALA chose Gerhardt to deliver next year's May Hill Arbuthnot Lecture. The prestigious lecture is given each year by an individual of distinction in the field of children's literature.