What is the ORCA? The Oregon Reader's Choice Award was founded in 2010. The award is intended to be a fun and exciting way for Oregon youth in grades 4-12 to become enthusiastic and disciminating readers. During the course of the school year, Oregon students choose their favorite book in a real-life democratic process.
How are the books chosen? Books must be nominated for inclusion on the ORCA ballot. In order to be considered, the book needs to have a copyright date of two years prior to when the ballots are announced. This delay ensures that the title will be readily available in paperback during the voting year. Oregon students, teachers, and librarians are all able to nominate books. The nominations are reviewed by a committee of librarians and educators. The committee creates the final ballots based upon a number of criteria, including literary quality, creativity, reading enjoyment, reading level, and regional interest.
Who may vote? Oregon students in grades 4-12.
When does voting take place? Voting takes place online between March 1-31.
The 2012-2013 ORCA Committee Chair Stuart Levy (Wood Middle School, Wilsonville)
Oregon Young Adult Network (OYAN) Nina Kramer (Albina Library, Portland) Lee Catalano (Multnomah County Library) Lisa Elliott (Tigard Public Library)
Oregon Reading Association (ORA) Linda Erickson (Briggs Middle School, Springfield) Tracy Smiles (Western Oregon University) Carol Brown (Corvallis)
OLA’s Childrens Services Division (CSD) Rick Samuelson (Washington County Cooperative Library Services) Korie Buerkle (Newberg Public Library) Rebecca Cohen (Newport Public Library)
Oregon Association of School Librarians (OASL) Kathryn Harmon (Neahkahnie School) Trey Imfeld (Albany High School) Adrienne Gillespie (William Walker Elementary, Portland)
Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA) Kira Porton (A Children’s Place Bookstore, Portland)
