California Young Reader Medal Voting now Happening at your School and at the Buena Park Library District

It is once again time to vote for your favorite book among the titles selected as nominees for the California Young Reader Medal (CYRM)! Young people in our state are being encouraged by their schools and public libraries to read some wonderful books and VOTE fore their favorite(s). The Buena Park Library District, located at 7150 La Palma Avenue, has a decorative display of the current CYRM titles nominated, and we also have ballots for you to place your vote for your favorite books. Turn in the ballots with Phyllis Nisle, the Youth Services Librarian, or Mary Ivelia, our Children’s Programming Coordinator.

The California Young Reader Medal program encourages recreational reading of popular literature among the young people of our state. Since its inception in 1974, millions of California children have nominated, read, and voted for the winners of the California Young Reader Medal. Young people suggest the names of favorite books for nomination, or teachers and librarians note repeatedly read or requested titles, and these are submitted to the California Young Reader Medal Committee. Members of the committee read the suggested books, discuss their merits and appeal to children, and then decide upon a well-balanced list of nominees.

The CYRM program is sponsored by four statewide organizations committed to books and reading: the California Association of Teachers of English, the California Library Association, the California Reading Association, and the California School Library Association. A committee of representatives from each organization coordinates CYRM activities at the state level. To be considered for nomination, a book must be an original work of fiction published within the last four years by a living author. Recommendations for nomination are due each year by April 1 for consideration as a nominee the following year. It is a two-year cycle from the time of nomination by students to the presentation of the California Young Reader Medal to the winning authors and illustrators in the Primary and Picture Books for Older Readers categories.

Books are nominated for the medal in five categories: Primary (Grades K-2), Intermediate (Grades 3-5), Middle/Junior High School (Grades 6-9) and Young Adult (Grades 9-12).

Students may read and vote for books in any and all categories, but they must read all the books nominated in a category to be eligible to vote. Students read the nominated books from July through March and vote for their favorite(s) through their teachers and/or librarians Teachers and librarians provide ballots for the students, compile vote totals, and submit results to the CYRM committee.

All CYRM ballots must be postmarked by April 1 of each year. Make it easy on yourself and turn it in at your school or the Buena Park Library District! We’ll take care of the ballots filled out or dropped off here.

The 2006 – 2007 Titles nominated for the CYRM are http://californiayoungreadermedal.org/nominees.htm#2006

You can pick up a ballot at the Library. You can also http://californiayoungreadermedal.org/official_ballot2006_2007.htm

Please mail your OFFICIAL BALLOT and postmark it by April 1st to be counted. No votes can be taken electronically. The CYRM committee asks that you use the official ballot to make counting the votes easy.

So make sure you vote and have your vote COUNTED for this year’s California Young Reader Medal winners. See if your #1 pick gets to be #1 this year!

For more information about the nominated titles or any other programs at the Buena Park Library District, please call 714-826-4100, extension 126 for Children’s programs or x125 for Teen and Adult programs.