Selection Committees
FRANÇAIS
Mandate:
The Forest of Reading has nine individual selection committees that are tasked with selecting the annual nominated lists for children and adults. After reviewing all applications, the OLA appoints the committees to read, reviews and recommend Canadian books that meet the selection criteria and are deemed to be the best available titles for a given year, in a given program.
- Terms of Reference – Selection Committee
- Terms of Reference – Selection Committee Chairs
- Selection Committee Timeline & Reading Requirements Chart
- Forest of Reading Selection Policy
Note: OLA strives to ensure that its staff, committees, and councils are diverse and inclusive in order to best serve the Ontario library community. There is immense value in bringing together various perspectives and ideas. OLA seeks out participation from members with different library experience; members from all regions of Ontario; Indigenous Peoples; and members with diverse backgrounds including but not limited to age, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, and ability. If you have any questions about getting involved, please contact the OLA staff liaison for the committee/council.
Reading Timelines
The timeline for each Award varies due to the reading demands for each program. Below is the schedule of reading:
- Blue Spruce – April to June
- Silver Birch – January to August
- Yellow Cedar – December to July
- Red Maple – October to August
- White Pine – October to August
- Le prix Peuplier – July
- Le prix Mélèze (formerly Le prix Tamarac Express) – March to August
- Le prix Tamarac – March to August
- Evergreen – February to December
Application Deadlines
Applications are accepted all year round, however Chairs will select the committees based on applications up until the dates below
- Blue Spruce – February 1
- Silver Birch – November 1
- Yellow Cedar – November 1
- Red Maple – October 1
- White Pine – October 1
- Le prix Peuplier – January 1
- Le prix Mélèze (formerly Le prix Tamarac Express) – January 1
- Le prix Tamarac – January 1
- Evergreen – February 1
2021 Selection Committees
Co-Chairs of the Forest of Reading®
Ruth Gretsinger, District School Board of Niagara
Isabelle Hobbs, Durham District School Board (retired)
Blue Spruce Award™
Sarah Oesch (Co-Chair)
Laurel van Dommelen (Co-Chair)
Angie Wurster, Anthea Bailie, Ardis Proulx-Chedore, Becky Jenkins, Danny Neville, Isabelle Hobbs, Jennifer Brown, JoAnne Richards, Johanna Gibson-Lawler, Kendra Cutting, Lena Cybulskie, Melissa Bulgutch, Natasha Rankin, Rabia Khokhar, Stephanie McPherson
Silver Birch Express Award®
Fiction Portion:
Lauren Flattery (Co-Chair)
Ruth Gretsinger (Co-Chair)
Meaghan Alyea, Ingrid Boyd, Julia Farnsworth, Liana Flumiani, Gillian Green, Lillian Gretsinger, Teresa Iaizzo, Lyndsey Janzen, Evan Kouri, Casey Macdonald, Brittany Shantz, Brenda Spencer, Sara Taylor
Non-Fiction Portion:
Donna Lynch (Co-Chair)
Melanie Mulcaster (Co-Chair)
Alison Yntema, Rhea Desai, Sonia Doyon, Jenny Pust, Karen Clarkson, Michelle Perrone-Bonavita, Karen Upper, Janet Marlin, Linda Ludke, Erica Rodd
Silver Birch Fiction Award®
Lauren Flattery (Co-Chair)
Ruth Gretsinger (Co-Chair)
Meaghan Alyea, Ingrid Boyd, Julia Farnsworth, Liana Flumiani, Gillian Green, Lillian Gretsinger, Teresa Iaizzo, Lyndsey Janzen, Evan Kouri, Casey Macdonald, Brittany Shantz, Brenda Spencer, Sara Taylor
Yellow Cedar Award
Donna Lynch (Co-Chair)
Melanie Mulcaster (Co-Chair)
Alison Yntema, Rhea Desai, Sonia Doyon, Jenny Pust, Karen Clarkson, Michelle Perrone-Bonavita, Karen Upper, Janet Marlin, Linda Ludke, Erica Rodd
Red Maple Award™
Serena McGovern (Co-Chair)
Samantha Dillane (Co-Chair)
Darlene Edwards (Co-Chair)
Agnieszka Marszalek, Laurie Orford, Myra Junyk, Luisa Esposito-Karantakis, Amy Shiell, Jess Longthorne, Patricia McPhail, Kersti Harvey, Elizabeth Bonspiel, Lisa Carl, Isabelle Hobbs, Karen Upper
White Pine Award™
Karen Whiteman (Co-Chair)
Enid Wray (Co-Chair)
Caroline Duncanson (Co-Chair)
Serena McGovern, Alanna King, Corinna McGill, Diana Williams, Kalli Secord, Kasey Whalley, Mary Mexis Lumsden, Maureen McGrath, Teri Caroleo, Julie Reed, Angela Thompson
Le prix Peuplier
Claudine Blanchard (Chair)
Lynn MacDonald, Brianna Allen, Christine Labelle, Eugenia Doval, Amanda Halfpenny-Lavender, Nathalie Cazenave-Dit-Berdot, Carolane Robitaille, Evy Gambin, Jeanette Weatherill, Christine Brassard, Diane Quessy, Daniel Paré, Karen Devonish-Mazzotta
Le prix Mélèze
Evy Gambin (Chair)
Sonia Doyon, Christine Brassard, Jeanette Weatherill, Carolane Robitaille, Eugenia Doval, Lynn MacDonald, Nathalie Cazenave-Dit-Berdot, Luisa Esposito, Amanda Halfpenny-Lavender, Claudine Blanchard, Diane Quessy, Daniel Paré
Le prix Tamarac
Eugenia Doval (Chair)
Luisa Esposito, Nathalie Cazenave-Dit-Berdot, Evy Gambin, Véronique Labonté, Claudia Gosselin, Claudine Blanchard, Amanda Halfpenny-Lavender, Diane Quessy
Evergreen Award™
Erin Kernohan-Berning (Chair)
Carrie Benbow, Jeff Dodge, Anya Hleba, Colleen Kelly, Stephanie McPherson, Stephanie Taylor, Emily Weiskopf-Ball, Julie Wendland, Enid Wray
