Nominating Committee Procedures

Are you wondering how The Cybils nominating committees will conduct their work? Then this post is for you. Judging criteria will be posted next week.

1. Committee Organizer supervises the full list of nominations from The Cybils website, which includes:
   
   • Making sure a book has been nominated in the correct category. If a book has not been nominated in the correct category, organizer must forward the nomination to the appropriate committee organizer;
   • Setting up a discussion group (on Yahoo!groups, for example) for the nominating committee. The organizer will remain on the discussion board to present lists or discuss review copies until Nov. 21. After that, the organizer will exit the discussion board if she is not a member;
   • Presenting the list to panelists to find out who has read which books;
   • Asking that each book be read by at least two panelists. The organizer is responsible for tracking down review copies.
2. The nominating committee will begin its work on Nov. 21. Panelists may, of course, begin reading before then, but there are no discussions beforehand.
   
3. Each panelist should present a list of his or her 10 favorite books from the long list to the committee. When compiling this list, each person should consider the following:
   
   • Writing (and, if pertinent, illustration);
   • Kid appeal (is it a "read again and again book"?
   • Is it book an older child, or even an adult, will rush to finish, before reading it a second time?
   • Is the book innovative? Does it surprise you with something new?
   • Does the book speak to you as a reader?
4. Books that are on all lists should be set aside for further discussion.
5. Panelists who have made unique choices should argue their position: Why should this book be on the shortlist?
6. Books read by only two members should receive particular attention by those two readers. They should argue why or why not this book deserves to be on the shortlist.
7. Panelists then return to the top-10 lists. When there's clear agreement, they should see it with overlap.
8. They can then duke it out via the discussion list. At this point, a few books may have to be read. A few cases may have to be argued.
9. Committee organizers must have their lists of finalists to Anne no later than noon on Dec. 30th. The nominating committee should also write a sentence or two explaining why each book was selected for the shortlist. These reasons will be posted on Jan. 1.

Posted by Kelly Herold

Comments

[Sheila Ruth]

Great job, Kelly. Thanks for posting these.

[Anne]

Kelly: I think this is incredibly thorough and yet very flexible. It gives the committees some wiggle room over what constitutes great writing (or art) in their particular genre. Plus it's eminently fair.

Nice job. Thanks for putting this together.