New Chief at 'SLJ'
Former head of children's services at New York Public Library takes top editor's job
Staff -- School Library Journal, 11/1/2000
Julie Cummins, who for the past 13 years has been 
coordinator of children's services at New York Public Library, took over last month as editor-in-chief of School Library Journal. Cummins is known nationally in library circles both for her position at one of the nation's largest and most respected public libraries and for her leadership in the American Library Association (ALA).
An expert in children's literature and book illustration, Cummins has chaired the Newbery and Caldecott awards committees, as well as ALA's Notable Children's Books committee. Recently, Cummins has been writing children's books of her own; in 1996, Dutton published her The Inside-Outside Book of Libraries, illustrated by Roxie Munro, and next year, HarperCollins will publish her second book, Tomboy of the Air. A longtime reviewer and writer for SLJ, Cummins says she was eager to become the magazine's top editor. "SLJ gives the person who is editor-in-chief an incredible opportunity to be the voice and advocate for services to children and youth throughout the country," she says.
At New York Public Library, Cummins initiated a city-wide summer reading list, forging an alliance among New York's three public library systems and the Board of Education. She also won numerous grants for programs and revamped the library's well-known publications, making their design as appealing as their content.
Cummins is currently a member of the ALA executive board. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, Blair, who is director of the Lake View (NY) Public Library.--A. G.
