OPLA Advocacy in Action Excellence in Children’s or Teen Services Award

This award is to honour excellence in the advocacy of Children’s or Teen services and who has made a positive impact on children’s or teen services librarianship. The award can be given to an individual or group. It can be a service-based project; a unique program, a community partnership, an outreach endeavour or an advocacy effort that should be recognized and celebrated.

Criteria/Eligibility

  • Nominees must be a member in good standing of OLA/OPLA.
  • Nominees must be working in the public library field in Ontario.
  • The individual or project must meet the following criteria:
    • Active involvement in the library profession.
    • Enhanced service to children and youth in the local library.
    • Innovation in delivery of children’s or teen services.
    • Strong advocacy for service to children and youth.
    • Modeling children’s and youth services librarianship as a rewarding career.
    • Being a positive role model to colleagues and the wider community.
    • Eligibility includes: librarians, library technicians, library assistants, or anyone working directly with children or youth in a public library setting. 

Nomination Procedure

  • The nominator must be a member in good standing of OLA/OPLA.
  • The nomination form can be accessed by visiting the OLA Awards webpage: https://accessola.com/membership-information/awards/
  • The nomination package should include evidence to support the nomination and must include:
    • A letter of not more than 500 words to the committee from the nominator.
    • Two letters of support.
    • Between 1 and 3 samples of the nominee’s work which could include planning or training documentation, marketing materials, program summaries, etc.
    • Not more than three photographs, news clippings, etc. if available.
    • The detail provided should be sufficient to ensure the committee has a clear understanding of the nominee’s skills, service and leadership related to advocacy in Children’s or Teen Services and other important key considerations.
  • Nominations will be accepted between: February-March.
  • The closing date for nominations in any given year will be listed on the OLA website.
  • Once the winner has been chosen, the OPLA President will contact the successful nominator.
  • The OLA office will contact all unsuccessful nominators.
  • Unless otherwise arranged, the OPLA President will also contact the successful nominee and request a photo for promotion purposes.
  • The OLA office will later connect with the nominator and the winner for award presentation logistics.

If desired, nominators may be involved in the award presentation such as creating and/or writing the presentation speech. Please indicate your interest to do so in the nomination form.

Selection Process

  • The OPLA Council will appoint the Selection Committee. It will be composed of three members of the Child and Youth Services Committee with a spare designated in case of a conflict of interest. OPLA Council liasons will support the process but not actively assist in the selection.
    • Current members of Child and Youth Services Committee and sitting OPLA Council members are not eligible for this award.
    • Supervisors and co-workers of nominees are not eligible to sit on the selection committee.
  • Nominees who are not selected may be re-nominated in subsequent years with the submission of updated documentation.
  • The OPLA Awards Committee will review all of the applications and assess candidates’ eligibility. Eligible applications will be assessed using a rubric according to the criteria as above and any supporting the documentation.
  • The presentation of the award is at the discretion of the OPLA Council and is not necessarily presented on an annual basis. 

Award Presentation Information

  • This award is presented at the annual Child and Youth Blow Out Event with recognition at the annual OLA Super Conference. Award winners receive 2 complimentary tickets to the conference for the day of the event (travel expenses not included).
    • If the award recipient cannot attend the Child and Youth Blow Out Event, the award will be presented at another OPLA event or at the following Super Conference.
  • The winner will be notified in advance of the award presentation.
  • At the presentation, an introductory speech will be delivered outlining the achievements of the award winner.
  • The recipient will prepare a short acceptance speech.
  • The recipient may be asked to write an article for HoOPLA about their work, the award they received, and what it meant to them in their careers.