Chapter 36 - Oregon Readers' Choice Award Procedures

36.01 Article 1 Purpose & Eligibility

36.011 The purpose of the Oregon Reader's Choice Award (hereafter referred to as ORCA) is to encourage Oregon youth in grades 4-12 to become enthusiastic and discriminating readers.

36.012 The award shall be given annually to three books, one each from the following age groups:  Junior (4th - 6th grades), Intermediate (7th - 9th grades), and Senior (10th - 12th grades).

36.013 Award recipients shall be selected by popular vote of Oregon youth in grades 4-12.

36.014 Participating organizations include: Children's Services Division (CSD), Oregon Young Adult Network (OYAN), Oregon Association of School Libraries (OASL), Oregon Reading Association (ORA), and Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA).

36.015 The award recipients shall be announced at the annual OLA conference.  The award shall be presented by a member of the ORCA committee at the annual OASL conference.

36.02 Article II  Nomination Process

36.021 Nominations for titles to be considered shall be solicited from members of participating organizations, public and school library workers.  Oregon children shall be encouraged to nominate titles through their school and/or public libraries.

36.0211 Nominated titles must be published three years prior to the year in which the award is presented.

36.0212 If a nominated title is in a chronological series, it is preferred that the nominated book be the first in the sequence.  Exceptions may be made on an individual basis.

36.0213 The author of the nominated title does not have to be an American citizen, but the book must be published in the United States, in print and readily available.

36.0214 The book may be published originally in another country, but it must have a U.S. copyright date three years prior to the ORCA award list it is being considered for.

36.022 Following the nomination process, an award committee shall select 8 titles for each of the three age groups for inclusion on the ORCA ballot.  These titles are to be based upon the collected nominations.

36.0221 Considerations for inclusion on the ORCA ballot include literary quality, effectiveness of expression, creativity, imagination, reading enjoyment, reading level, interest level, regional interest, genre representation, racial diversity, diversity of social, political, economic or religious viewpoints, and availability.

36.03 Article III  Committee Composition & Guidelines

36.031 The ORCA committee shall be composed of no more than 14 members, including a chairperson who is an OLA member in good standing.  Participating organizations, with the exception of PNBA, may provide up to 3 members to the committee.  PNBA may provide 1 member.

36.032 Each committee member will serve a two year term.  Committee member may serve no more than 2 consecutive terms.

36.033 The chairperson shall serve a two year term and shall be appointed by the president of OLA based upon the recommendations of CSD and OYAN.

36.0331 The chairperson shall have served on the ORCA committee previously.

36.04 Article IV  Publicity & Record-Keeping
 
36.041 Announcement of the award recipients shall be published in the appropriate statewide, regional and national library news media, and in local media.

36.042 The ORCA committee shall keep a cumulative list of award recipients with the year in which the award was given.

Last amended June 24, 2010