MEMBERSHIP

The committee will include a representative from each TLA district.  This will decrease and redistribute the workload of individual committee members, and it will assure that all areas of the state are represented in the creation of the TBA reading lists.  

Five members of the committee will represent CRT and five members of the committee will represent TASL.  Members will serve a three-year term and be nominated by CRT or TASL.  A formal application procedure that includes a completed standardized application form will be required from every candidate.

SELECTION

Members shall be appointed by the TLA President-Elect from a slate of nominees submitted by the TASL and CRT Executive Boards.  These appointees shall be named at the same time as other committee appointments are made.

Criteria for serving on the TBAC includes:

1. Must be a current member of TASL, CRT, or both throughout their term of appointment.

2. Must be actively involved in the delivery of library services to children throughout their term of appointment.

3. Must not be an officer of either TASL or CRT during their term of appointment.

4. Must not currently be affiliated with an author, illustrator, or publisher in any capacity that might interfere with the integrity of this Committee.

5. Members may not serve two consecutive terms of office.

6. If a committee member cannot serve out his/her full term, the sponsoring unit’s Executive Board shall submit a list of eligible members, willing to serve, to the TLA President for immediate appointment.

7. Each prospective committee member shall provide the executive boards of CRT or TASL with documentation on his/her qualifications to serve on the TBA Committee. This information will include a standardized application form. The application form should include experience, knowledge of the TBA program and current position.

Coordinator

1. The TLA Executive Board appoints the Coordinator of the TBAC.  He/she is selected from a list of candidates submitted jointly by the Executive Boards of TASL and CRT.  Documentation, including a standardized "application form" from each candidate, should be provided to the Executive Board prior to the fall meeting at which the appointment is to be made.

2. The Coordinator is appointed to a three-year term. However, the new appointee shall serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member on the Committee in an “Intern Coordinator” capacity for the year prior to his/her term as Coordinator. He/she shall assume the role of Coordinator, therefore, at least one year after being named by the TLA Executive Board, at the end of the TLA Annual Conference.

3. The TBA Coordinator will not serve two consecutive terms of office.

4. The TBA Coordinator must be a current member of TASL or CRT.

5. The TBA Coordinator must have experience in TLA. However, he/she shall not serve as an officer of a unit (i.e. Division, Round Table) during their appointed term.

6. Written approval from the candidate’s immediate supervisor, indicating an awareness of the time and effort required of the Coordinator to fulfill the responsibilities of this position.

7. The TBA Coordinator must not be currently under contract or employed by a publishing company in any capacity that might interfere with the integrity of this Committee.

8. An annual evaluation of the current Coordinator will take place by the Executive Boards of both TASL and CRT. A recommendation to continue or remove this appointee should be reported to the TLA Executive Board at Annual Assembly. If the Coordinator cannot serve out his/her full term the TLA Executive Board shall appoint an “interim” Coordinator to serve the remainder of the term of office.

9. Consistent with TLA practice, the TBA Coordinator follows the current Robert’s Rules of Order.

RESPONSIBILITIES 

TLA Executive Board

1. Monitor the financial accountability of the TBA program as a self-sustaining Committee. This includes directing an annual audit of the TBA program.
2. Monitor the use of the TBA trademark/logo and take legal action against infringements associated with its use.  Set the fee and guidelines for use of the trademark.
3. Appoint a liaison to the TBAC to communicate the concerns/interests of the Board and the TLA Office to the TBAC.
4. Appoint the Coordinator of the TBAC from a list of candidates provided by a joint committee of the Executive Boards of TASL and CRT.  Based on an annual evaluation of this Coordinator, approve or reject the continuation of this appointee.

TLA Executive Board 

1. Register participating schools and libraries in the TBA Program.
2. Collect all monies received from the TBA Program, and provide for accounting procedures necessary for the TLA Executive Board to monitor this committee as a self-sustaining entity.  Includes the necessary arrangements required for an annual audit of this program's funds.
3. Provide the necessary information on activities the Office is directly involved in (i.e. staffing and mailings) for the TBAC's annual budget.
4. Assist in the distribution of the publicity/ promotional packets for the TBA Program.
5. Coordinate the advertising for the position of TBAC Coordinator with TASL and CRT.
6. Provide assistance and support to the TBAC in utilizing technology to promote and administer the TBA program.
7. Negotiate for the purchase of services needed to carry out the mission of the TBAC.

  TASL and CRT Executive Board

1. Guide and direct the educational focus of the Texas Bluebonnet Award Program.
2. Review the goals, objectives, guidelines, policies and procedures of the Texas Bluebonnet Award Program and make recommendations for program improvements to the Coordinator and the TLA Executive Board.
3. Coordinate with the TLA Office advertisement for the position of TBAC Coordinator; submit a list of candidates eligible for the appointment to the TLA Executive Board at their fall meeting the year such an appointment is to be made.
4. Evaluate the Coordinator at Annual Assembly each year and forward the recommendation to the TLA Executive Board.
5. Establish guidelines for the selection of TBAC members and submit an annual list of eligible members, willing to serve, to the TLA President-Elect by October 31 each year.
6. Coordinate arrangements for the award ceremony at Annual Conference with the TASL and CRT Program Committee on an alternating basis.
7. Assist in monitoring the use of the TBA trademark/logo and apprise the TLA Executive Board of any infringements associated with its use

  Coordinator

1. Guide and direct the educational focus of the Texas Bluebonnet Award Program.
2. Review the goals, objectives, guidelines, policies and procedures of the Texas Bluebonnet Award Committee and recommend improvements in the general operation of the project to the TLA, TASL, and CRT Executive Boards.
3. Attend the TLA Annual Conference, the TLA Annual Assembly, and all TBAC meetings.
4. Maintain/update the Texas Bluebonnet Award Program Manual of Procedures and make it available upon request.
5. Serve as "chair" of the TBAC; schedule meetings, plan the agenda, oversee the preparation and dissemination of meeting minutes, etc.
6. Prepare the TBAC budget in collaboration with the TLA Executive Director and submit it to the TLA Executive Board for approval.  Included along with the budget should be any recommendations for such items as fee changes, employee costs, etc. involving the TBA Program activities.
7. Coordinate with the TLA Office staff those activities involved with the TBA Program: registration of participants, mailings, selling of promotional materials and publicity packets, etc.
8. Authorize expenditures and reimbursements from the TLA Office according to procedure.
9. Monitor the use of the TBA trademark/logo and keep the TLA Executive Board apprised of any infringements associated with its use.
10. Tabulate the ballots to determine the winning book/author for the Texas Bluebonnet Award annually.    
11. Schedule a new member orientation meeting at the TLA Conference. This orientation will focus on the purpose, duties of committee members and schedule of committee activities.
12. Arrange for on-going continuing education activities for committee members. Topics for continuing education will include areas such as Intellectual Freedom issues, evaluation and selection criteria for children’s literature and current developments in children’s literature.

TBA Committee

1. Guide and direct the educational focus of the Texas Bluebonnet Award Program.
2. Prepare a selected reading list for the TBA Program, based on suggestions submitted to the Committee.
3. Hold at least two book "suggestion" meetings each year, to coincide with the TLA Annual Conference and Annual Assembly. (These meetings should be advertised to the general membership prior to the conferences and be listed in the conference program.)
4. Monitor the production and distribution of all publicity and promotional materials associated with the program.
5. Coordinate arrangements for the award ceremony at Annual Conference with the host unit for that particular year.
6. Assist in monitoring the use of the TBA trademark/logo and apprises the TLA Executive Board of infringements associated with its use.  
7. Participate in annual continuing education activities devoted to the issues of literary quality and merit, materials selection and intellectual freedom.

BUDGET

1. Set the registration fee at $10.00 to meet costs in postage and production.
2. Provide one copy of the activities booklet to all registered libraries. Additional copies may be ordered.
3. Consolidate and schedule mailings to minimize costs.
4. Set aside money annually from the TBA unobligated fund balance for special projects to be determined and managed by the TBA committee. Such projects should promote the TBA program and may include items such as:
   • Fund annual conference travel and attendance for a student representative from each TLA district.
   • Underwrite the cost of TBA professional growth presentations.
5. Solicit donations to the TBA through LEAF.

CALENDAR

1. The TBAC and the Coordinator should work with the TLA staff to schedule TBA activities in such a way as to:
   • Deliver materials to the participating libraries in a timely fashion  
   • Insure that these materials are in place when needed  
   • Minimize potential conflicts with other TLA activities.
2. The TBAC and Coordinator will follow an annual calendar of work, which is prepared by the Coordinator for the TBAC.

POLICY & PROCEDURES MANUAL

A comprehensive Policy Manual will be given to each TBA Committee member.  This Policy manual should include:

1. Materials selection policy which includes:
   • the value of multiple language, cultures and bilingual materials  
   • the criteria used in the selection process
2. Voting procedures:  http://www.txla.org/groups/tba/tba_info.html
3. Statement on Intellectual Freedom:  http://www.txla.org/pubs/ifhbk.html
4. Library Bill of Rights:  http://www.txla.org/pubs/ifhbk.html
5. “Free Access to Libraries for Minors”:  http://www.txla.org/pubs/ifhbk.html
6. ALA American Values Statement:  http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/lib_val.html
7. Intellectual Freedom: Self Search
8. Criteria to Employ in Analysis
9. Bylaws:  http://www.txla.org/html/docs/bylaws.html
10. Acceptable Use Policy
11. Training materials
12. Other

PUBLICITY & PROMOTION

1. Use the TBA Mission Statement in publicity releases.
2. Identify and publish the specific criteria that qualify a book as a TBA book.
3. Become involved with other organizations that promote reading.  (Governor’s Reading Initiative, TEPSA, Texas Book Festival and others.)
4. Promote the Tip Sheet for Teachers.
5. Use the Web site to communicate and distribute program information including the Activities Booklet.
6. Develop additional materials explaining TBA committee responsibilities and member selection process and use TLA publications, the web site and newsletter to distribute the information.
7. Increase publicity to encourage nominations of new titles.
8. Redesign the general informational brochure and design and distribute brochures targeted to specific audiences.
9. Develop informational materials on the value of including multi-cultural and bilingual books on the TBA list.
10. Seek the assistance of other TLA units in the promotion of TBA activities especially among multicultural and multi-lingual populations.