Industry Children's literature Headquarters Norwood, Australia Type Nonprofit organization | Founded 1946 | |
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Similar International Board on Books for, American Library Association, Australian Library and Informatio, The Alannah and Mad, International Reading Association Profiles | ||
Leila st john award 2015 children s book council of australia victorian branch
The Children's Book Council of Australia is a not for profit organisation which aims to engage the community with literature for young Australians. The CBCA presents the annual Children’s Book of the Year Awards to books of literary merit, recognising their contribution to Australian children's literature.
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Awards
The Children’s Book Council of Australia was founded in 1945 and the first Australian Children's Book of the Year Award was presented in 1946. At that time and until 1952, there was a single award category (now the CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers Award).
In 1952 a category for the Picture Books was created, a Younger Readers category in 1982, the Eve Pownall Award for Non-Fiction in 1993, and the Early Childhood Award category was created in 2001, bringing the total number of categories to five.
Funding
Initially the awards were funded through Government grants (1966–1988), and later by individual and corporation donations and sponsorships. A major five-year partnership with the Myer Group provided $50,000.00 per year. When this ceased the CBCA decided to establish the CBCA Awards Foundation. This was set up in 1996 and raised over one million dollars. Raylee Elliott Burns, National President and Chair of the 1996 AGM, said in her subsequent introduction to the Prospectus: “The advocacy role played by the Children's Book Council has helped to promote the literary experience for children and to assure the scope and vitality of writing and publishing for children in Australia… The Children's Book Council of Australia invites Australians everywhere to invest in the future of readers through the support of the CBCA Awards Foundation.” Proceeds from investments now fund prizes for the awards in perpetuity. Benefactors (donations $20,000.00 and over) and Major Donors ($5000.00 and over) are permanently acknowledged on all printed and electronic matter emanating from the CBCA.
Organisational structure
The CBCA is a national organisation with branches in every state and territory of Australia. Some branches also have sub-branches. Branches are mostly autonomous, but generally adhere to guidelines set by the National Board. The National Board was established in 2012 and represents every branch of the CBCA. The Board is responsible for the annual Book of the Year Awards, plus the presentation of the prizes as well as Children’s Book Week and the annual range of merchandise, as well as the online reviewing journal Reading Time and the biennial National Conferences.
Other CBCA Awards
Dame Annabelle Rankin Award - presented for distinguished services to children’s literature in Queensland.
Nan Chauncy Award – a national biennial award presented to recognise a person’s outstanding contribution to the field of children’s literature in Australia.
Crichton Award for Children's Book Illustration – an annual award to recognise new talent in the field of Australian children's book illustration.
Leila St John Award - for services to children’s literature in Victoria.
Lady Cutler Award - presented for distinguished services to children's literature in NSW.
Lu Rees Archives of Australian Children's Literature
The Lu Rees Archives is a research collection of books, artworks and papers by and about Australian children's authors, illustrators and publishers housed at the University of Canberra Library. In 1974 Lu Rees, then President of the ACT Branch of the CBCA, proposed that the ACT Branch would begin a collection of biographical files on Australian children's authors and illustrators and a collection of their works. Lu Rees offered her personal collection of several hundred works "as a first step.". The collection was largely developed with donations from CBCA members. In 1979, in response to the International Year of the Child, Lu Rees initiated a plan to collect overseas translated editions of Australian authors. "...one of the Librarians from the Canberra Public Library Service (CPLS) rang me and asked, ‘What are you doing about the International Year of the Child?’... if I could throw in a personal idea, it would be to emphasise the ‘International’ and try to get foreign editions of our own authors’ work in the children’s field."
In 1980, it was suggested that the collection, which had outgrown the home of Lu Rees, could be housed at the Canberra College of Advanced Education (now the University of Canberra), where it could be accessed by students and researchers. In the same year, the Library of the Canberra College of Advanced Education, under Chief Librarian Victor Crittenden (later first Chair of the Lu Rees Archives Management Committee) agreed to house the collection, catalogue the resources and provide in kind support. At the time of handing over in July 1980, the collection became known as the Lu Rees Archives, after its founder.
Since 1983, the Archives has been managed by the Lu Rees Archives Management Committee, members of which include representatives of the local and national Children's Book Council of Australia, the University of Canberra Library, national and public libraries and tertiary institutions in Canberra, as well as those managing the Archives and its activities. Management of the Archives is guided by the Lu Rees Archives Strategic Plan.