whitepine


Ontario Library Association
White Pine Award™ Reading Program

Contents-at-a-Glance

About the Program

The White Pine Award™ is a provincial reading program for high school students sponsored by the Ontario Library Association. Students will read 10 nominated Canadian young adult books and then vote for their favourite book. Based on student voting across the province, the most popular book is then selected and author is honoured with the White Pine Award™.

Goals of the White Pine Award™ Reading Program:

  1. to promote reading for enjoyment among high school students
  2. to make students aware of quality Canadian young adult books
  3. to provide opportunities for students to discuss the nominated titles in an authentic manner

The official launch of the program begins with the release of the reading list in early Fall. You can start your participants reading when you are ready. The ending date for the program is the last day that voting results can be submitted.

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Selection Policies and Procedures

The selection of nominated titles is subject to the policies and procedures approved by the OLA Board of Directors. Titles chosen must be copyrighted in either of the two years immediately prior to the year of the program. Books must satisfy a number of criteria to be considered Canadian and must respect the principles outlined in the OLA's Statement on the Intellectual Rights of the Individual. For full details, see OLA Forest of Reading Selection Policies and Procedures.

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Ordering the Nominated Titles

The official selections can be ordered through OLA's official Reading Program wholesaler National Book Service (NBS). The titles can be ordered directly by using the order form provided below.

NBS Web site
White Pine Order Form (.pdf)
E-mail: nbs@nbs.com
Tel.: (416) 630-2950 or 1-800-387-3178
Fax: (416) 630-0274 or 1-800-303-6697

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Resources To Use With White Pine

If you are willing to share products and creations developed in your library for the White Pine program, send electronic versions to whitepinesteering@accessola.com. If possible, please send Rich Text (.rtf), MS Word (.doc) or Acrobat (.pdf) files. Hard copies may also be mailed to White Pine Steering Committee, Ontario Library Association, 50 Wellington St. East, Suite 201, Toronto, ON M5E 1C8. Don't forget to indicate who you are and what school and board or public library you are with.


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White Pine Listserv For Teachers and Librarians

Share your program ideas on the White Pine listserv for teachers and librarians: whitepine@accessola.com This listserv is not for readers. You have been automatically included in this listserv when you registered.

This listserv forum is where you can share your ideas and questions about running the White Pine Award™ program in your school or public library. The White Pine program can run in large and small school libraries, and main or branch locations of public libraries. Different methods work better in different situations. Here is where we can eliminate the geographical boundaries and help each other out. If you are new to running the White Pine Award™ program you can ask your questions through this listserv using the address whitepine@accessola.com. From the questions that get posted, someone will likely have dealt with a similar situation just like yours and will be happy to share their expertise with you.

Important: If you wish not to participate on this list, to unsubscribe, please send a message to Trevor Balla indicating that you would like to be removed from the whitepine@accessola.com listserv.

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Project Timeline

December to September
The White Pine Award™ Selection Committee reads the eligible books submitted by Canadian publishers to determine the titles that will be on the Official Selections list for the year.

October
The list of officially nominated titles for the White Pine Award™ is released. Online registration opens. The official selections are e-mailed to the previous year's listserv for program registrants, are posted on the OLA Web site, and included in a promotional brochure prepared for mailing to all schools, public libraries and bookstores.

December
The White Pine Award™ Web site for teachers and librarians is available. All registered libraries are notified of the username and password. This is not to be shared with non-registered schools or libraries.

February - OLA's Super Conference

  • 2007 Forest of Reading® Program Launch
    Young people get the opportunity to meet the authors of the nominated books in the 2007 White Pine Award™ reading program.
  • Program Consultation
    Members of the White Pine Award™ Steering Group are present to talk to reading program administrators about their participation in the program.
  • Meet the 2006 Award Winning Authors and Illustrators
    There are two formal sessions, one a plenary involving 2006 Award winners from all the reading programs. There is also a more intimate 'in conversation' session with White Pine winners.
  • Autographing
    Last year's Award winners and this year's nominated authors and Illustrators will be present to autograph at the National Book Service booth on the Exhibit floor. Further information detailing who will be in attendance is available on the Super Conference Web site.
Through Winter and Spring
Reading may begin at any time but must be finished in time for the official Voting Day deadline shown below. Since readers must complete a minimum of five titles from a given list to qualify to vote for that list you will need to assess how much time your readers need. Be generous. You are trying to encourage your readers to engage all of the books to make their vote the most informed.

April
Official Voting Day - Thursday, April 26th
If this date is unable to be honoured in your school or library, you may have an 'Advance Poll' on a date of your choice. See the next subject section for resources to download.

Last day for submitting vote totals - Monday, April 30th

May
The province-wide vote results are announced at the White Pine Award™ Ceremony on May 17, 2007, during the OLA's Forest of Reading® Festival at Harbourfront Centre in Toronto.

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Voting Information

Submit Group Vote Summary (active April 1 - 30)

Teachers and librarians are asked to follow an official electoral process with their readers. The following voting resources are available to download to help you with the process:
• Group Vote Summary Form
• Individual Ballots
• Ballot Box Sign
• Polling Station Sign
• Voting Day Sign

Vote totals are submitted electronically by the person in the school or public library running the program. The Group Vote Summary Form is for your convenience to collect the vote totals before sending them electronically. Only the totals are to be submitted. The individual ballots are not needed.

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Program Evaluation

In order to evaluate the program, develop a sense of how well the program is run across the province and to identify and determine where improvements can be made, please take a moment to fill out the Evaluation Form (Word .doc or PDF). Your comments are appreciated and will be used exclusively by the committee and the association.

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Volunteering

Are you interested in volunteering for a position on the White Pine Steering Group or the White Pine Selection Committee? You may fill out the online application form at any time during the year. If a vacancy exists, you will be contacted.

Committee application forms:
White Pine Award™ Selection Committee Application
White Pine Award™ Steering Group Application

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Contact Information

If at any time you have questions related directly to the program please contact us in person, by mail, telephone, fax or e-mail:

Ontario Library Association
50 Wellington St. East, Suite 201
Toronto, ON   M5E 1C8

Tel: 416/363-3388 or toll free 1-866-873-9867
Fax: 416/941-9581 or toll free 1-800-387-1181
E-mail: whitepinesteering@accessola.com
Web site: www.accessola.com

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Special Thanks

A number of volunteers come together to make the White Pine and other OLA reading programs possible. A special thank you goes out to those who have come forward to volunteer for the 2007 White Pine Award™ Selection Committee and the 2007 White Pine Award™ Steering Group.

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