The Muriel Barwell Award for Distinguished Service to Children's Literature is a biennial award of The Children's Book Council of Australia WA Branch.

 

Muriel Barwell has, for over three decades, been a leading light and continuing inspiration to those involved in children’s literature in Western Australia.

Originally from Northern Ireland, Muriel arrived in Perth in 1951.

In 1974 Muriel opened Haddon’s, a specialist children’s bookshop in London Court. To the people of Western Australia, Haddon’s represented excellence in children’s literature and empathy and service to its customers, regardless of age or background.

Muriel’s role in the CBCA WA Branch has been central to its success and growth. She led the group which revitalised the organisation in 1975 and has been a continuous member of the Branch Committee since, including 17 years as Branch Treasurer. In 1995, Muriel was made a Life Member of the WA Branch, a significant honour as there have only been five Life Memberships awarded in the WA Branch.

Muriel Barwell is a founding Board member of the Fremantle Children’s Literature Centre and a strong supporter of the WAYRBA Awards, for which she was awarded a Certificate of Excellence in 1991.

In 2006, Muriel became the recipient of the Children's Book Council of Australia's 2006 Nan Chauncy Award. Citation

Muriel Barwell’s contribution to children’s literature in Western Australia has been enormously significant and the CBCA WA Branch is proud to name this Award after her.

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The Muriel Barwell Award for Distinguished Service to Children's Literature is a biennial award of The Children's Book Council of Australia WA Branch (Inc), the accent being on Service. A recipient of the award, then, will have given service well beyond his or her professional association with children’s literature. Such service may have come in one or more ways:

• Helping raise the standard of children’s literature through activities and vigorous work with the Children’s Book Council and other associated organisations.
• Raising consciousness of the value of literature to children through speaking to or working with parents’ groups and community organisations.
• Bringing literature to children themselves—working in schools, through literary events, club activities, Children’s Book Week activities.
• Raising standards through involvement in awards — judging, chairing, promoting.
• Writing, lecturing, debating on areas of children’s literature, organising seminars and conferences relating to children’s literature.
• Personal and professional assistance and encouragement to writers, illustrators and publishers of children’s books
• Being a resource person for the community i.e. a bookseller, teacher, librarian to whom parents and interested persons turn for information, guidance and advice.

The recipient will have made a contribution primarily in Western Australia , but services nationally and internationally will be regarded as pluses.

The Award is to take the form of a framed citation and a crafted product of unique Western Australian wood (e.g. a wooden bowl or vase)

The citation is to be read at the presentation of the Award, printed in the newsletter, included on the web site and sent to Reading Time and the CBCA archives.

Only one Award will be made every two years. The Award will normally be made to an individual; however in special circumstances the judges may make a joint or group award where a joint or group nomination has been deemed more appropriate than an individual one.

The Award is to be administered by a convener appointed by the WA Branch Committee.

 

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• a) The recipient shall be a person who has made a significant contribution to children's literature in Western Australia.
• b) Where a joint or group nomination is more appropriate, a joint or group nomination may be made.
• c) Whilst there is no restriction on the types of contribution made, recipients' contributions must encompass more than their profession or occupation.
• d) No person may receive the Award more than once.
• e) Candidates need not be members of the CBCA.

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• a) Nominations must be submitted with a completed Nomination Form [Word] or [PDF]
  Advice to Nominators [PDF]
   
• b) Nominations shall be addressed to:

  The Muriel Barwell Award
  The Children’s Book Council of Australia WA Branch
  PO Box 473
  WEST PERTH   WA   6872

• c) Invitation for nominations shall be published in the first and second CBCA WA Branch newsletters in each year of the Award.
• d) Nominations shall be no more than two A4 pages. The judging panel shall advise the CBCA WA Branch Executive of their decision no later than three weeks prior to the awards presentation.
• e) Late nominations will not be accepted.

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• a) Nominees shall be supportive of the objectives of The Children’s Book Council of Australia WA Branch (Inc) as set out on the Branch constitution.
• b) They shall have made a significant contribution to children’s literature in any of its facets primarily in Western Australia.
• c) Should there be a number of nominees in any year that the judges consider equally deserving of the Award, the judges shall then give preference to those for whom no other award or honour is available in the field of children’s literature.
• d) A nominee who has been unsuccessful may be re-nominated without restriction in subsequent years.
• e) The judges may withhold the award if they consider no person of sufficient merit has been nominated.
• f) Nominees must be living at the time of nomination. In the event of the recipient dying after nomination, the award may be made posthumously.
• g) The judges have the right to hold over nominations from year to year should they consider a nominee particularly outstanding.

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• a) There shall be three judges: the Award Convenor, the WA Branch President and a member of the WA Branch committee to be chosen by the Branch Committee.
• b) In the event that one of the judges is nominated for the Award, or is otherwise unable to participate in the judging process, the WA Branch Executive shall appoint a replacement.
• c) Copies of nominations will be sent to the judges for perusal and research three weeks prior to judging.

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• a) A call for nominations shall be made in the first two WA Branch newsletters in the year of the Award.
• b) The closing date for nominations shall be the end of June and dependent on the Date of Children’s Book Week.
• c) The Convenor is responsible for the copying and distribution of nominations to the judges and for arranging and chairing the judges’ meeting.
• d) The WA Branch President is responsible for informing the recipient.
• e) The Award should be announced and presented at a Children’s Book Week function or another suitable occasion selected by the WA Branch Executive.

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• a) The list of nominations, and the judges' deliberations, shall be confidential.
• b) The nomination of the recipient shall be retained in the archives. All other nominations, notes, etc. shall be destroyed.

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