Nevada Young Readers’ Award
Rules of Procedure
Adopted March 13, 2004
HISTORY
The Nevada Young Readers’ Award was first established in the fall of
1987 by the Nevada Department of Education with generous support of
librarians and teachers. In its first year, only 4,104 students from
16 schools voted. As of 1990, Nevada Library Association and the Nevada
Department of Education sponsor the Award jointly. By 2004, there
were 30,423 voters from 243 schools and public libraries.
OFFICERS
1990-92 Joyce Betts, Churchill County Library
1993 Maria Champlain, Clark County Library
1994 Del Bean, Helen Smith Elementary School, Las Vegas
1995 Maria Champlain, Clark County Library
1996 Frankie Lukasko, Washoe County School District
1997 Dorothy Neeley, Battle Mountain Junior High
1998 Jan Passo, Las Vegas Clark County Library District
1999 Jackie Soden, Charles Silvestri Junior High School, Las Vegas
2000 Barbara Talbot, O’Brien Middle School, Reno
2001 Betsy Johnson, Henderson District Public Libraries
2002 Jeanette Moore, Elko Lander Eureka County Libraries
2003 Carol Rapacz, Douglas County Public Library
2004 Jennifer Fabbi, UNLV Libraries
Angela Pfeil, Tutor.com Librarians by Request
2005 Debbie Jacobs, Clayton Middle School Library, Reno
2006 Vicki Switzer, Elizondo E.S., North Las Vegas
Jan Barbour, retired CCSD librarian
NEVADA YOUNG READERS’ AWARD RULES OF PROCEDURE
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of the organization shall be “Nevada Young Readers’ Award,”
abbreviated as “NYRA.”
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
The purposes of the organization shall be:
1. To encourage Nevada youth to read modern works of juvenile
literature.
2. To encourage Nevada youth to develop a love of reading and lifelong
reading habits.
3. To promote a sense of community through a statewide reading program.
4. To honor works in juvenile literature at many reading and interest
levels.
ARTICLE III. ORGANIZATION AND MEMBERSHIP
NYRA is an interest group of the Nevada Library Association, as defined
by Article V, Section 2 of the Nevada Library Association Bylaws. Any
member of the Nevada Library Association interested in the purpose of
the organization is eligible for membership upon application and
payment of dues as established by NLA Bylaws.
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
Section 1. Eligibility
Any current member of NYRA is eligible for office.
Section 2. Election
The officers of this organization shall consist of a chairperson and
a chairperson-elect, elected by a majority of NYRA members present at
the
NYRA Business meeting at the annual NLA Conference. The
chairperson-elect shall be elected one full calendar year prior to
his/her term and shall assist with functions designated by the current
chairperson. It is recommended that the chairperson-elect reside
in the NLA conference area for the year they will be chairperson.
Section 3. Term
The term of office for the chairperson will be for approximately one
year (NLA Conference to NLA Conference), not to exceed two consecutive
terms.
Section 4. Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the chairperson shall be:
· To act as a facilitator of all communications within the interest
group, including dissemination of the reading list as new titles are
added.
· To submit information regarding group activities to the editor of
Nevada Libraries and to the NLA webmaster.
· To act as coordinator for business meetings of the interest group,
including soliciting agenda items, reserving appropriate time and space,
and conducting business of the interest group.
· To plan programs and/or appoint a NYRA program chairperson for the NLA
annual conference.
· To contact winning authors and picture book illustrators and their
publishers.
· To submit a budget request and program justification to the NLA
Finance Committee by the publicized deadline of each year preceding the
year for which the budget is requested.
ARTICLE V. MEETINGS
Meetings will be held at least two times per year. There shall be one
statewide business meeting coinciding with the NLA Annual Conference.
There shall be one statewide business meeting in March. These meetings
may be held via videoconference, phone conference, online, or in person.
The main purpose of the March meeting is to choose nominations from
the current reading list to be placed on the following year’s ballot.
Other meetings may be called with at least 30 days advance notice, and
may be held electronically.
ARTICLE VI. COMMITTEES AND COORDINATORS
To enhance communication, the current chairperson will appoint a
coordinator for each district and/or region.
The chairperson shall appoint a committee as necessary to carry out the
functions of the interest group.
ARTICLE VII. RECOMMENDED TITLES
The award is presented in four categories:
Picture Books (K-2 and general audience)
Young Reader (3-5)
Intermediate (6-8)
Young Adult (9-12)
Section 1. Limitations to Recommendations
Recommended books must:
1. Appeal to the category in which it is nominated
2. Be a title recommended by a Nevada young reader
3. Have been published in the United States within the last three years
(including the current year)
Section 2. Recommendation Submissions
Recommendations are accepted if submitted by the readers to their school
or public librarian or classroom teacher. The current Recommendation
form must be filled out, or an email sent to the current chairperson
with the required information. This form is available on the NYRA
Website. Recommendations are due by November 15th of each year to give
the Interest Group members ample time to read and consider all of
the recommended books.
Recommended books will be placed in the category noted on the
Recommendation Form. The Interest Group cannot move a book from its
current specified reading level. Only if a recommendation is received
for the same title to be placed in a separate category will it appear
in two reading areas.
Section 3. Nominated Titles
Recommended books are read by the Interest Group members and narrowed
down to a list of six to eight books in each category at the March
meeting. Once this list is created, books are considered “Nominated
Titles”.
A recommended title that does not make the nominated titles list is
eligible to be recommended again as long as it meets the copyright date
requirements, and the recommendation is made by a Nevada young reader.
Nominated Titles will be made public and distributed to schools and
libraries after the March meeting and are read and voted on by young
readers from June of the current year through May of the following
year.
ARTICLE VIII. VOTING
Section 1. Eligibility
Readers have one vote in each reading category as long as they have been
exposed to the nominated titles by:
· Reading the book(s) themselves, or
· Having the book(s) read to them, or
· A combination of the above, and
· Have read at least half of the nominated titles in that category.
Readers should vote at only one location.
Section 2. Procedures
School and public librarians and classroom teachers should forward a
tally of all student votes to the current NYRA chairperson by mail,
fax or email. The chairperson and two current NLA members will merge
all ballots to determine the total number of votes for each title. The book
receiving the highest number of votes in each category will be deemed
the winning title.
ARTICLE IX. TIMELINE
November 15th – Deadline for submission of recommended titles to be
considered for the Nominations list.
March 15th (or closest Saturday) – Members meet to determine the ballot
for the following year from all recommendations received through
November 15th of previous year.
May 15th – Deadline for submission of final ballot voting forms.
ARTICLE X. AMENDMENTS
These Rules of Procedure may be amended by two-thirds of the legal votes
cast, provided that copies of such changes have been circulated to the
membership at least thirty days in advance of the meeting at which
discussion will take place. Voting by mail and email may be used for
NYRA business items provided there has been an opportunity for
discussion at any meeting.
