Katy Hershberger Joins School Library Journal as Senior Editor, YA

From an SLJ News Release:

Katy Hershberger, a writer, editor, reviewer, and bookseller who has spent over a decade working in children’s and young adult (YA) publishing joins the editorial team of School Library Journal as Senior Editor, YA, replacing Shelley Diaz, who most recently held the position.H

Hershberger has worked for St. Martin’s Press, Bloomsbury, and Simon & Schuster. In 2018, she completed her MFA in Creative Writing at the New School and has been published in numerous outlets including Electric Literature, Bustle, The Rumpus, The LA Review of Books, Catapult, and Shelf Awareness. She also serves as the Prose Editor for the literary magazine 3Elements Review.  

During her time in children’s/YA publishing, Hershberger worked with an array of high-profile YA authors including Sarah J. Maas, Jason Reynolds, Jenny Han, Sharon Draper, and Laurie Halse Anderson, among others. Hershberger also worked as a bookseller at McNally Jackson and served as its social media manager.

Hershberger joins a dynamic team of School Library Journal review editors: Kiera Parrott (Reviews Director, Library Journal and SLJ), Luann Toth (Managing Editor/Picture Book Editor), Mahnaz Dar (Professional Reading, Reference, and Graphic Novels Editor), Vanessa Willoughby (Associate Editor, Nonfiction & Series Made Simple), and Ashleigh Williams (Assistant Editor, Middle Grade & Chapter Books).

Hershberger will be the lead editor responsible for assigning and editing YA reviews, covering the broader trends and developments in the YA market and in library service to teens, and serving as the lead editor on the content for SLJTeen Live!, an annual virtual all-day event each August celebrating teen literature and exploring innovations in library programming for teens.

Filed under: Libraries, News, Publishing, School Libraries