Gordon M. Conable Award Jury

Charge and Work

To select annually, a recipient of the Gordon M. Conable Award, which is designed to honor a public library staff member, a library trustee, or a public library, which has demonstrated a commitment to intellectual freedom and the Library Bill of Rights. The recipient of the Gordon M. Conable Award must have demonstrated a commitment to intellectual freedom and the Library Bill of Rights in various ways, including, but not limited, to the following: developed and promoted collections that include diverse points of view; provided programs that promote community dialog on controversial issues; created and nurtured an organizational climate that fosters an understanding of the Library Bill of Rights amongst the library staff, library board, and elected and appointed officials; initiated activities at the local, state, or national level that promote, support, or defend intellectual freedom, the Library Bill of Rights, or the first amendment; guaranteed open access to library materials and services for children and young adults; guaranteed open access to electronic information; defended library materials, programs, or services when confronted with a censorship challenge.

Deliverables and outcomes:

• For the jury chair and members:
  • Stay apprised of the timeline in which PLA staff opens and closes the nomination application webpage via notices on PLA’s website and PLA members-only emails
  • Review award applications and supporting materials
  • Monitor award criteria and, if necessary, recommend changes in criteria or the jury’s charge
  • Increase awareness of the award and the number of applicants by spreading the word about the call for nominations
• For the jury chair:
  • Communicate meeting plans with the members of the jury
  • Lead virtual deliberation meetings
  • Vote on a winner in case of a tie among jury members
  • Contact the award’s winner(s) and confirm their acceptance of award
  • Complete jury selection form and send same to jury’s staff liaison

Expected time commitment:

• Review award applications and supporting materials (1–3 hours/year)
• Attend virtual deliberation meetings (2–3 hours/year)
• Respond to emails (1–2 hours/year)

Desired skills, knowledge, or experience:

• Experience working as a member of a virtual team
• Ability to critically analyze award submissions and eligibility criteria
• Strong communication skills