Founder and Executive Director
Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature
Dr. Claudette S. McLinn is the Founder and Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature (CSMCL). She is a retired Supervisor, Library Services, Nonpublic Schools, for the Los Angeles Unified School District with over 34 years of experience as a teacher, librarian, and administrator in elementary and secondary education. She was the owner of a children's bookstore for over 20 years. She was Adjunct Professor at California State University, Long Beach where she taught graduate courses in children’s literature and young adult literature with a focus on multicultural literature.
Dr. McLinn is committed to EDI (equity, diversity, and inclusion), a commitment that has been at the core of her life’s work. As an active member in the American Library Association (ALA) for over 25 years, she has chaired and served on many ALA committees, task forces, and book award juries, including the Newbery, Coretta Scott King, Pura Belpré, and Caldecott Awards.
While Chair of the Coretta Scott King (CSK) Book Award Committee, Dr. McLinn also served as Chair of the CSK 50th Anniversary Celebration. Dr. McLinn is the recipient of the 2015 BCALA Appreciation Award, 2020 Distinguished Service Award from the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the 2023 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.
A sought-after keynote speaker, presenter, and moderator, Dr. McLinn earned a Bachelor of Science in Education and Master of Science in Library Science from Wayne State University. She also earned a second Master of Science in School Management and Administration and Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Pepperdine University.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunrise Celebration
Sunday, January 21, 2024
6:30am – 8:00am EST