Some news from the Nutmeg Steering Committee!
- 2019 Nominee Lists
- New Category Names
- 2020 Selection Committees
- WANTED: 2020 Teen / Middle School Book Award Selection Chairperson
1. 2019 Selection Committees are hard at work finalizing their nominee lists. These top secret lists have to be finalized and then confirmed with the publishers for availability. The 2019 Nominees will then be announced to librarians on February 14, 2018 with the public launch on May 1, 2108. Thank you to all the Selection Committee Chairpersons and to all the Selection Committee members for your work to put together these lists.
2. Nutmeg Book Award Levels have slightly changed names and grade divisions.
We listened to feedback that the names with the multiple levels was sometimes confusing. SO here are the new names and grade levels. These will officially switch with the 2020 lists but we will start using both names in our publications.
| Former Category Name & Grade Level | New Category Name & Grade Level |
| Elementary Nutmeg Award Grades 2-4 | Elementary Grades 2-3 Nutmeg Award |
| Intermediate Nutmeg Award Grades 4-6 | Intermediate Grades 4-6 Nutmeg Award |
| Teen Nutmeg Award Grades 7-8 | Middle School Grades 7-8 Nutmeg Award |
| High School Nutmeg Award Grades 9-12 | High School Grades 9-12 Nutmeg Award |
3. 2020 Selection Committees are starting their process. Applications for student and librarian readers will be shared via this listserv and posted to our website by this Sunday, October 15th. Applications will be due by November 15th.
4. WANTED: 2020 Middle School Nutmeg Award Selection Chairperson or Co-Chairpersons.
We prefer someone who has served on any level Nutmeg Selection Committee in the past but we are willing to teach someone the process.
Position can be filled by 1 person or 2 co-chairs.
The 2020 process is starting immediately.
The Selection Chair...
- will need to review applications to form their committee by December 15th.
- is responsible for creating reading lists for the Committee to read. The Teen/Middle School Committee reads about 80 books (typically 4 lists of 20 books) starting in January 2018 and ending in November 2018. Linda Williams can share starred reviews to help the Chair create the reading lists.
- will need to arrange and run 4-5 meetings a year with your committee members.
- sometimes sets up and manages a wiki or google page for members to discuss books in between the meetings.
- will help Committee choose the 10 nominees with alternate titles and assist Steering Committee in preparing publicity materials.
- attends Steering Committee meetings through the voting of your list in April 2020 (3-4 a year)
We ask 1-2 Selection Chairs from Intermediate, Middle School, or High School Committees stay on as Steering Committee Chairpersons from July 2019 - June 2020.
If you are interested, please contact us as soon as possible
Thank you for your support and interest in the Nutmeg Book Award!
Lisa Polack
School Librarian
Ellington Middle School
Secretary, Nutmeg Book Award Steering Committee