Cynthia Richey has been director of Mt. Lebanon Public Library for 13 years, but during that time she never left behind her true library love -- children's literature and services.

"I love making a difference in children's lives of all ages and love connecting children with books," Richey said.

So it should come as no surprise to those who know her well that Richey, 59, of Mt. Lebanon, has been appointed chair of the 2011 Newbery Award Committee.

The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the American Library Association for what is deemed to be the "most distinguished American children's book published the previous year," according to the association Web site.

It has been awarded since 1922 and is named after 18th-century English book seller John Newbery.

Pat Scales, president of the Association for Library Services to Children, a division of the American Library Association, appointed Richey to chair the Newbery committee.

Scales, a retired school librarian from South Carolina, said Richey's love of children's literature and her leadership skills "were the perfect combination" for the job.

"I've known Cindy for years. She's the past president of the organization and she has served on the Newbery committee in the past. I know of no one who has the leadership skills that she has," Scales said.

Richey will lead a committee of 14, whose members will include public librarians, school librarians and professors of literature. There is diversity among the committee members and the geographic locations from which they come.

Appointments to the committee and the chairmanship are for one year. Having served on the Newbery committee that selected the 2000 winner, Richey is aware of how much work she has ahead of her.

"It's a huge commitment to be on the committee," she said.

Each committee member must read every piece of children's literature written in the year preceding the award presentation. The works include any fiction, nonfiction or book of poetry for children from birth to 14.

Richey's committee will read all children's works produced in 2010 in preparation for selecting the winner for 2011. The committee will meet to make that selection in January 2011.

"It's hundreds of books that you end up reading, hundreds that are published each year. But with some of them, you know within the first 100 pages whether or not they are worthy," she said.

The committee will meet at various times throughout the year at conventions of the American Library Association. It will be Richey's job to lead discussions and solicit nominations for the award.

A single winner is chosen, but the committee often choses several "honor" books among the finalists.

In determining what book will get the award, the committee will look for "the very best writing in children's literature, something that makes a true contribution to children's literature and something that is distinguished."

The committee also evaluates whether a book "respects a child's sensibilities and level of understanding. We will look at whether this is the kind of thing a kid looks for. It must be age-appropriate."

Richey said children's literature today still includes a number of the traditional themes from decades past such as honesty, friendship, family, racism.

But she said more sophisticated themes appear in today's children's literature and the stories often follow a faster pace than in previous decades.

"The same moral struggles have existed in all children's books since they were first published and they will continue to endure. But now you see newer issues such as abuse, immigration and its consequences, gang issues and gender identity included, and I think some books are more graphic in their detail," Richey said.

Scales said she is confident Richey is up to the task of leading the committee that will chose the Newbery winner.

"Committees have to agree and they have to work together well, and you need a strong leader, and she is the strongest leader I know. She has a real strength in understanding children and children's literature and connecting the two," Scales said.

Richey appears well equipped to handle the challenge before her. She holds a bachelor's degree in English literature and a master's degree in library science from the University of Pittsburgh.

She's worked as a librarian since 1971, when, while in graduate school, she was named the children's librarian at Pleasant Hills Library. In 1972, when the Carnegie Library opened its new Squirrel Hill branch, she moved there as children's librarian.

After her two sons were born, she returned to Pleasant Hills, where she could work part time while raising her family. Then in 1983 she started at Mt. Lebanon Public Library as a children's librarian and was promoted in 1986 to head of children's services.

Richey said she believes children's literature has an impact on readers' lives for years. In fact, she said, sometimes the lessons in the literature are not fully understood until people encounter situations in their own lives.

"Someone will remember, 'That's just like in 'Bud, Not Buddy' where he's looking for his dad,' or in 'Maniac Magee' where two races are trying to get along," she said.

"There are a lot of lessons in these books no matter how old you are."