PNLA Quarterly, Vol. 62 No.3 Spring 1998

Discussion Papers: Pacific Northwest Book Award Proposal

PURPOSE

To establish a Pacific Northwest book award for an outstanding fiction and an outstanding nonfiction title for adult published in the previous year and to produce a brochure that is an annotated bibliography of 10-13 outstanding Pacific Northwest titles published in that year.

RATIONALE

A PNLA award would honor outstanding publications for adults. There is interest in and outside of the area in our bioregion.
A cooperative project of this nature would not only be attractive to PNLA members as an organization project, but would also foster cooperation among librarians, booksellers, and publishers of the region.
It is logical to build on strength: the Young Readers Choice Award has been one of the most successful programs of PNLA.

OBJECTIVES

To establish a book award with a prize (e.g., medallion, sculpture, a fine certificate of some kind) for nonfiction and fiction books for adults published in the previous year by any publisher and focussing on or set in an area of the Pacific Northwest
To produce an attractive brochure that lists the winners and the runners-up in both categories (to be distributed in libraries and bookstores)
To post the yearly list and previous lists on the PNLA website

ACTIVITIES

Obtain corporate sponsorship of the prize itself, the publication of the brochures, posters, the nomination ballots and other appropriate advertising, mailing costs, and travel expenses of the authors to attend PNLA conference for recognition.
Enlist the cooperation of booksellers and regional libraries to offer ballots and a ballot box for nominations. (Anybody would be eligible to nominate a title as long as the nomination meets the qualifications of the prize.)
Organize a committee of PNLA librarians in each state to screen nominations and narrow the field to a list of finalists.
Organize a smaller committee of librarians and possibly a bookseller or two to determine the winners at the annual meeting.
Design and produce an object like the YRCA medallion to give the winners. (Produce seals for books also?)
Announce the winners at the following conference. (Speeches from the winners or not?)
Produce and distribute the brochure of winners and outstanding titles to libraries, bookstores, and electronic lists.
Publicize the winners and the award through other channels.

The costs of this activity along with a discussion of possible sponsors can take place at the April board meeting. Sharon West of WLN has suggested amazon.com as a sponsor. WLN has connections there as do we through Cindy Cunningham.

A number of regional publishers have been contacted are interested in the idea. Several said they would be willing to contribute to the effort, although we will have to define how these contributions could be used since they will be potential competitors.