<div dir="ltr"><p style="margin:0px;font-size:16px;line-height:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:rgb(35,35,35)"><span style="letter-spacing:0px">Hello Everyone,</span></p>
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<p style="margin:0px;font-size:16px;line-height:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(35,35,35)">My name is Katie Lawrence</span><span style="letter-spacing:0px"> and</span><span style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(255,37,0)"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(35,35,35)">I am a librarian with the Northview</span><span style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(30,73,125)"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(35,35,35)">Public School District</span><span style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(30,73,125)">, </span><span style="letter-spacing:0px">in the Grand Rapids area. </span><span style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(255,37,0)"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:0px">I am happy to be back home in Michigan, after earning my MLIS and working as a librarian in Chicago for several years.</span></p>
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<p style="margin:0px;font-size:16px;line-height:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:rgb(35,35,35)"><span style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0)">I am writing to all of you because I am honored and truly humbled that I have been nominated to serve on the 2018 Newbery Award Committee.</span><span style="letter-spacing:0px"> The ALA's annual election begins March 15th and goes through April 22nd. There are 15 of us appearing on the ballot, but only 8 of us will actually make it on the committee.</span><span style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(255,37,0)">  </span><span style="letter-spacing:0px">I am the only Michigander appearing on any of the award committee ballots this year and it would be a great honor to represent our state, as well as the profession on this prestigious committee.</span></p>
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<p style="margin:0px;font-size:16px;line-height:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:rgb(35,35,35)"><span style="letter-spacing:0px">If you are a member of the ALA as well as the Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC) </span><span style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0)">I would be grateful if you would</span><span style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(255,37,0)"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:0px">consider voting for me when voting opens</span><span style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(30,73,125)"> </span><span style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0)">this week. </span></p>
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<p style="margin:0px;font-size:16px;line-height:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing:0px">Thank you very much for your time and consideration.</span></p><p style="margin:0px;font-size:16px;line-height:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing:0px"><br></span></p><p style="margin:0px;font-size:16px;line-height:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing:0px">Best,</span></p><p style="margin:0px;font-size:16px;line-height:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing:0px"><br></span></p><p style="margin:0px;font-size:16px;line-height:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing:0px">Katie Lawrence</span></p><p style="margin:0px;font-size:16px;line-height:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing:0px">Teacher Librarian</span></p><p style="margin:0px;font-size:16px;line-height:normal;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><span style="letter-spacing:0px">West Oakview School</span></p></div>