How has the award changed?
A single award was given until 1991 when it was replaced by Youth and Senior divisions.
In 2002 three divisions were designated: Junior, Intermediate, and Senior divisions. The Young Reader’s Choice Award Selection Policy was revised by the Board of the Pacific Northwest Library Association in 2012.
The award program continues to change and grow to attract new supporters and participants. PNLA supports YRCA becoming a 21st-century reading program that will sustain current participation and expand to a new readership and participating libraries.
How do nominations work?
Nominations will be collected from students, librarians, teachers, and parents in the Pacific Northwest – Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Nominations will not be accepted from publishers.
Most importantly nominated titles must already be popular
with young readers.
Nominated titles must be published three (3) years before the award year (for example, for the 2022 nominees must have a copyright date of 2019), printed in the United States or Canada. Nominations may include fiction, nonfiction, and graphic format titles. Submissions of books that are a sequel or part of a series may be considered.
Nominated titles will be judged on popularity with readers. Other considerations will include reading enjoyment; reading level; interest level; genre representation; gender representation; racial diversity; diversity of social, political, economic, or religious viewpoints; regional consideration; effectiveness of expression; and imagination. Age appropriateness will also be considered for placement in a division.
The Pacific Northwest Library Association is committed to intellectual freedom and diversity of ideas. No title will be excluded because of race, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, political or social view of either the author or the
*Updated* YRCA 2022 Nomination Timeline
- October 15, 2020 – Nominations for YRCA 2022 are open.
- November 15, 2020– Nominations for YRCA 2022 close.
- November/December – All nominations will be reviewed and voted on by YRCA representatives and assigned to a division (Junior/Intermediate/Senior).
- January/February 2021 – YRCA 2022 Nominees
announced.
How do I nominate titles?
- If you would like to nominate a single title, please use this
form: https://forms.gle/oWfxN6NwupgYiyex8 - If you would like to submit a spreadsheet or list of titles,
please include as much of the following information as
possible and email your list to yrcachair@gmail.com
When nominating a title, please include the following:
- Title
- Author
- Copyright Date
- Division, where you feel the title, is most appropriate and any other information you would like to add, like the popularity of the title.
- Junior Division: Grades 4-6
- Intermediate Division: Grades 7-9
- Senior Division: Grades 10-12