Who is on the Book Selection Committee?

The Book Selection Committee includes representatives from the following educational institutions in Kansas as well as Kansas educational and professional organizations concerned with children:

• ESU/The Teachers College
• ESU/School of Library and Information Management
• Kansas Association for Childhood Education International
• Kansas Association of Elementary School Principals
• Kansas Association for Family and Community Education
• Kansas Association for Middle Level Education
• Kansas Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
• Kansas Association of School Librarians
• Kansas Association of Teachers of English
• Kansas Congress of Parents and Teachers
• Kansas Library Association - Children's and School Libraries Section
• Kansas National Education Association
• Kansas Reading Association
• Kansas State Department of Education

There are also 4 members-at-large and 2 permanent members who vote.

We do occasionally have Members-At-Large positions open to interested parties who wish to apply. See “How do I apply to be an At-Large Committee Member?” for more information.

What does the Selection Committee do?

The Book Selection Committee is responsible for reading children’s books for the publication year under consideration, suggesting books of high quality to be read by other members and considered for the Master List, and meeting once a year to consider all suggested titles and to decide what books will be placed on the Master Lists for that Award year. For more details, see “Being an Active Selection Committee Member.”

How do I get appointed to the Committee?

Committee appointments rotate between members and staff of the organizations and institutions listed above. To find out how to be appointed contact the organization or institution itself. You can also Contact Us to find out who the current representative for that group is.

How to I apply to be an At-Large Committee Member?

If you are not currently a member or staff of one of the above organizations or institutions, but you still want to participate in the selection of Master List books, you can apply to be a Member-At-Large. We ask that Members-At-Large have at least some background experience working with children and children’s literature. Also, we ask interested parties to keep in mind that membership in the Selection Committee requires the reading of a substantial number of children’s books and at least one trip to Emporia, KS for the annual Master List Selection meeting in late September. If you wish to apply to be a Member-At-Large, please go to the Essential Information page to download our Member-At-Large application.