2013 Contest Administrator Guide for Libraries

Transcription

1 2013 Contest Administrator Guide for Libraries Introduction... 2 Administering the Contest Make Contest Materials Available Create a National Book Festival/Contest Display Get the Word Out Consider Hosting an Author Event Offer Assistance Receive and Record Contest Entries Mail Contest Entries to the Library of Congress... 3 Who Can Participate... 3 Contest Judging... 4 Contest Prizes and Awards Ceremony... 4 Timeline Checklist... 5 Resources... 5 Contact Information... 5 Contest Logos... 6 Sample Letter to Schools, Youth Organizations, Parents... 7 Sample Press Release... 8 Contest Entries Record Form National Book Festival Children and Teens Authors National Book Festival Teens Authors A Book That Shaped Me Library of Congress National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest Administrator Guide 1

2 Introduction Thank you for your library s participation in the 2013 A Book That Shaped Me Summer Writing Contest, which encourages young readers to reflect on a book that has made a personal impact on their lives! This Library of Congress National Book Festival program is designed to affirm the importance of books and reading and to help local public libraries combat the summer reading slump by providing additional rewarding opportunities for summer reading program participation. The contest also aims to build connections among young readers, local libraries, the Library of Congress, and the National Book Festival the nation s annual celebration of books and reading. Top winners present their essays during the festival, held in the fall on the National Mall in Washington, DC. By participating, your library makes it possible for your community to take part! This year the contest is being administered through local public libraries in the Mid Atlantic region. Participating local libraries make contest materials available and receive entries. They also promote the contest within their communities, sharing information with schools, youth organizations, and local media. This guide provides information about administering the contest at your library, which is part of an approved 2013 participating public library system. Administering the Contest 1. Make Contest Materials Available The contest will launch on May 17, Starting on this date, display contest posters and make printed contest entry forms available for pick up at your library. A contest entry form was included with this packet. Additional forms can be downloaded and printed from the contest web site, teachers/booksthatshape/. Your library is listed as a participating library on this web site. 2. Create a National Book Festival/Contest Display While hosting the contest, your library can also serve as a source of information for your community about the Library of Congress National Book Festival. Consider making a display with information about the contest as well as the National Book Festival and festival authors. Enclosed are contest posters, book festival posters, and the list of confirmed childrens and teen authors along with their current book titles. More information about festival childrens and teen authors is available on the Kids and Teachers Guide to the National Book Festival web site, teachers/. Send us photos of your display. We would like to share them on our web site or through social media as we promote the Library of Congress National Book Festival! BooksShapeContest@loc.gov 3. Get the Word Out Get kids involved in the contest by notifying schools, youth organizations and summer camps in your network and in your communities. We ve included sample letters that you can use to get the word out. A sample press release is also enclosed; customize it with your library s information and inform local media of your library s participation in the A Book That Shaped Me Summer Writing Contest. A Book That Shaped Me Library of Congress National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest Administrator Guide 2

3 4. Consider Hosting an Author Event Community events held at your public library are a great way to engage local youth organizations and get kids excited about the contest. Consider inviting a local author to speak at your library as part of a contest event. Use the event to provide more information about your library s summer reading program and the A Book That Shaped Me Summer Writing contest, and distribute giveaways related to both. Play the Kids Guide to the Library of Congress National Book Festival video at your event, which you will be able to access and download at teachers/booksthatshape/ later this summer. 5. Offer Assistance Encourage patrons and participants in your library s summer reading program to enter the contest, and offer your assistance. Student s work must be their own original work, but librarians are permitted to provide suggestions about structure and form and can proofread. 6. Receive and Record Contest Entries The contest deadline is August 12, All youth essays must be accompanied by a completed entry form with a parent or guardian signature, and submitted in person at your library before closing time on the 12 th. Record information about the entries received at your library on the attached contest entries record form. Make photocopies of all entries for you records, and retain the copies until the contest is over. Because the entry forms include home address and other personally identifiable information, they should be kept in a secure location. After the contest ends, the copies may be destroyed by shredding or other destruction method that ensures the copies are unreadable or unrecoverable. 7. Mail Contest Entries to the Library of Congress Once the contest concludes, mail your completed contest entries record form(s), along with the original copies of all essays received, to the Library of Congress. Your packet should be postmarked by August 16, Detailed mailing instructions will be provided. Who Can Participate The contest is open to young people who will be entering 5 th or 6 th grade in the fall of Winners will be asked to provide proof of completion of the 4 th or 5 th grade (report card, transcript, or letter from the school principal). There is no state residency requirement for entrants; however all essays must be submitted in person at a participating library in the Mid Atlantic region. A Book That Shaped Me Library of Congress National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest Administrator Guide 3

4 Contest Judging Each essay will be judged on the following criteria: Content (addressing the contest theme). Structure (spelling, grammar, punctuation). Creativity (approach to theme, sentiment expressed). A team of scorers will read and rate each essay using our 80 point rating system based on the above criteria. Five (5) finalists per participating state (DC, MD, VA, DE, PA, WV) will be selected for a total of thirty (30) finalists who will move on to final judging. A panel of judges assembled by the Library of Congress to include educators, children s authors and Library of Congress staff will select the state winners (6) and grand prize winners (3). Contest Prizes and Awards Ceremony A Book That Shaped Me Summer Writing Contest Prize Structure Participating State State States Finalists (30) Winners (6) Grand Prize Winners (3) Washington, DC Maryland Virginia Delaware West Virginia 1 st grand prize 2 nd grand prize 3 rd grand prize Pennsylvania Contest prizes are cumulative and winners receive gift cards as they advance through each round. Each State Finalist will receive a $50 gift card. The Five State Winners will be awarded additional $50 gift cards. The 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd Grand Prize Winners will be awarded additional gift cards in the amounts of $200, $150, and $100. State Finalists, State Winners, and Grand Prize Winners will be honored during a presentation at the 2013 Library of Congress National Book Festival on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The festival will take place September 21 22, The Grand Prize winners will also receive travel vouchers and present their essays during the National Book Festival awards presentation. 1st Grand Prize = $200 gift card (total of $300 in prizes) 2nd Grand Prize = $150 gift card (total of $250 in prizes) 3rd Grand Prize = $100 gift card (total of $200 in prizes) State Winners = $50 gift cards (total of $100 in prizes) State Finalists = $50 gift cards A Book That Shaped Me Library of Congress National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest Administrator Guide 4

5 Timeline Checklist Contest Launches May 17, 2013 Display contest poster & make entry forms available Notify Area Schools About the Contest Before school ends Make a National Book Festival display for your youth section Summer 2013 Notify summer youth organizations & local media about the contest Consider hosting a summer reading/contest event Contest Ends August 12, 2013 Mail all Entries and Entries Record Form(s) to the Library of Congress August 16, 2013 State Finalists Notified August 30, 2013 State Winners Notified September 6, 2013 Grand Prize Winners Notified September 10, 2013 Awards Ceremony at the National Book Festival September 22, 2013 Resources This guide and electronic copies of all of the attachments referenced were ed to each library system s coordinator contact. Please BooksShapeContest@loc.gov to have electronic copies sent to you. A Book That Shaped Me National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest: teachers/booksthatshape/ Kids and Teachers Guide to the Library of Congress National Book Festival: teachers/ The Library of Congress National Book Festival Contact Information BooksShapeContest@loc.gov Program Manager: Lola Pyne, lpyn@loc.gov, Program Assistant: Korey Freeman, kfre@loc.gov, A Book That Shaped Me Library of Congress National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest Administrator Guide 5

6 Contest Logos A Book That Shaped Me Library of Congress National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest Administrator Guide 6

7 Sample Letter to Schools, Youth Organizations, Parents The Library of Congress and [Your Public Library System] Present: Information for Educators and Parents: The Library of Congress National Book Festival is presenting a summer writing contest to encourage rising 5th & 6th graders to reflect on the books that have made a personal impact on their lives. The A Book That Shaped Me Summer Writing Contest is administered as part of [your local public library s summer reading program] and top winners will be honored at the Library of Congress National Book Festival, which will take place September 21 22, 2013 on the National Mall in Washington, DC. We ask for your assistance in encouraging students to participate in this opportunity to share their enthusiasm for books. This year the contest is available through participating public library locations in DC, MD, VA, DE, PA, and WV, and [your public library system] is proud to take part! Contest entry forms are available at our library locations and downloadable entry forms can be found online at the A Book That Shape Me National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest web site, teachers/booksthatshape/. A full list of participating libraries is also available on this web site. Children may ask for your help in finalizing their essays. Please be willing to offer guidance by proofreading and making suggestions on how they might improve their essays. You could show them resources to help them with grammar and structure, or even refer them to online proofreading resources. The work must be the student s original work, but suggestions about structure and form and proofreading from a caring adult can show children how to use help, even with their creative efforts. If you plan to engage a group of students from your school/organization/summer camp, etc., in the A Book That Shaped Me Summer Writing Contest we d love to know! Please send an with the subject line Summer Writing Contest Participation and the following information to BooksShapeContest@loc.gov your name, title, organization, contact information, number of students who will participate in the contest, and home library. A Book That Shaped Me Library of Congress National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest Administrator Guide 7

8 Sample Press Release [Date] LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AND [your public library/library system] ANNOUNCE SUMMER ESSAY CONTEST Rising 5 th and 6 th Graders Asked to Write About A Book That Shaped Me The Library of Congress is sponsoring a summer essay contest in conjunction with public libraries in the Mid Atlantic region encouraging rising 5 th and 6 th grade students to reflect on a book that has made a personal impact on their lives. [Your library/library system in your city/town/ region/state] is a participating [location or system]. The A Book That Shaped Me Summer Writing Contest is administered as part of summer reading programs at participating public libraries in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Prizes will be awarded and top winners will be invited to present their essays during a special presentation at the Library of Congress National Book Festival September 21 and 22 on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Students entering 5 th and 6 th grades in the fall of 2013 are eligible. Essays should be one page in length and must be submitted with an entry form in person at participating public library locations. The deadline for entries is Monday, August 12, Children s librarians at [your public library] are available to provide guidance to students preparing essays for contest entry. A Book That Shaped Me will award prizes to five finalists and one winner per state, and to three overall grand prize winners. The three grand prize winners will be selected by a panel of judges assembled by the Library of Congress including educators, children s authors, and Library of Congress staff. Submission forms are available at [your public library, library address]. The full list of participating libraries in the Mid Atlantic region, more information, and program updates will be available at teachers/booksthatshape/. Launched in 2012 with DC Public Library, A Book That Shaped Me is expanding throughout the Mid Atlantic region in its second year with the help of public libraries in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. More than 270 public libraries are registered to participate. [General paragraph about your library/library system] Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation s oldest federal cultural institution. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions. Many of the Library s rich resources can be accessed through its website at A Book That Shaped Me Library of Congress National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest Administrator Guide 8

9 Contest Entries Record Form Library Name: City/State/Zip Code: Library System: Sheet of # First Name Last Name Age Grade Book Title Author A Book That Shaped Me Library of Congress National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest Administrator Guide 9

10 2013 National Book Festival Children and Teens Authors AUTHOR CURRENT TITLE PUBLISHER CHILDREN & TEENS PAVILION Katherine Applegate "The One and Only Ivan HarperCollins Paolo Bacigalupi Zombie Baseball Beatdown Little Brown/Hachette Fred Bowen Perfect Game Peachtree Press Monica Brown and Tito Puente: King of Mambo/El rey de Full Circle Literary Press Rafael Lopez mambo! Giada De Laurentiis Recipe for Adventure: Paris Grosset & Dunlap/Penguin Brian Floca Locomotive Athenaeum/Simon & Schuster Kevin Henkes Penny and Her Marble Greenwillow/ HarperCollins Jennifer Holm and Babymouse and "Squish" Random House Matthew Holm Oliver Jeffers The Day the Crayons Quit Penguin Jon Klassen This Is Not My Hat Candlewick Suzy Lee National Book Festival Poster Artist/ Chronicle Books Open This Little Book Grace Lin Bringing in the New Year Harcourt Brace Christopher Myers H.O.R.S.E.: A Game of Basketball and Egmont USA Imagination Kadir Nelson Nelson Mandela HarperCollins Katherine Paterson Giving Thanks Chronicle Books Richard Peck The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail" Penguin Andrea and Brian Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Hyperion Pinkney Changed America. Lesa Cline Ransome Light in the Darkness: A Story About Hyperion and James Ransome How Slaves Learned in Secret Jon Scieszka and SPHDZ 4 Life! (Spaceheadz) Simon & Schuster Casey Scieszka Mark Teague How Do Dinosaurs Say I m Mad Blue Sky/Scholastic William Wegman Flo & Wendell Penguin For National Book Festival children and teens author bios, visit: teachers/ For National Book Festival authors from all genres, visit: A Book That Shaped Me Library of Congress National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest Administrator Guide 10

11 2013 National Book Festival Teens Authors AUTHOR CURRENT TITLE PUBLISHER TEENS PAVILION Holly Black The Coldest Girl in Coldtown" Little Brown/Hachette Susan Cooper Ghost Hawk Margaret K. McElderry/Simon & Schuster Matt de la Peña The Living Random House Kathryn Erskine Mockingbird Scholastic Richard Paul Evans A Step of Faith Simon & Schuster Eric Gansworth "If I Ever Get Out of Here Levine/Scholastic Cynthia Kadohata The Thing About Luck Simon & Schuster Matthew J. Kirby The Lost Kingdom and Infinity Ring Scholastic Book #5: Cave of Wonders" Kirby Larson Hattie Ever After Random House D. J. MacHale Razorbill Penguin Lisa McMann Crash (Visions) Simon & Schuster Phyllis Reynolds Now I ll Tell You Everything Athenaeum/Simon & Naylor Schuster Patrick Ness A Monster Calls and More Than This Candlewick Katherine Paterson Giving Thanks Chronicle Books Tamora Pierce Battle Magic Scholastic Matthew Quick Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock Little, Brown/Hachette Veronica Roth Divergent Katherine Tegan Books/ HarperCollins Sonya Sones "The Sonya Sones Collection Scholastic James L. Swanson The President Has Been Shot! The Scholastic Assassination of John F. Kennedy Rick Yancey The 5 th Wave Penguin For National Book Festival children and teens author bios, visit: teachers/ For National Book Festival authors from all genres, visit: A Book That Shaped Me Library of Congress National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest Administrator Guide 11