• Local Authors' Panel

    The Department of Literacy hosts the Local Authors' Panel each spring. The Local Authors' Panel is an opportunity for local authors to share their craft in DPSCD's classroom libraries. Each year, the department:

    • Collects applications from local authors who wish to have their work featured in DPSCD classroom libraries
    • Assembles a panel of teachers to review the submitted titles for craft, relevance and quality 
    • Provides principals with a list of approved titles and purchasing instructions should they wish to supplement classroom libraries using their school-based budgets

     

    How to Get Involved

    Are you an author? Do you have a friend or family member who'd love an opportunity to have their work featured in classroom libraries?  

    One way to get involved is to share this opportunity with local authors in your network, or to apply yourself if you have a published book available for purchase. Interested authors should apply by Wednesday, January 18th using this form. Ensure that three copies of each book are physically submitted to the Office of Literacy, 9th Floor, Fisher Building, 3011 E. Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48202, by that same date. Each author can submit up to four different titles. The author must submit a separate form for each book submitted.


    Are you a teacher passionate about classroom libraries? Do you want to help recommend texts to schools interested in purchasing supplemental library books? 

    District teachers can get involved by reviewing books for possible inclusion in a catalog of texts that building principals can purchase from their budgets this school year by joining a selection group. If you would like to help review and recommend texts, apply using this form by Tuesday, January 17.

    Teachers selected to participate will attend a three-hour, in-person, after-school session on January 19th to review submitted texts; teachers will also have a period to solicit further input from students following the convening. The total time commitment will be less than 4 hours.

    To avoid a conflict of interest, only teachers who are not submitting texts for review are eligible to participate in a selection group. 

    Timeline

    December 16   Online Application for Authors to apply is live  
    January 17   Deadline for teachers to apply to review books on the selection committee  
    January 18   Deadline for local authors to complete the online application and provide physical samples of texts to the Office of Literacy, 9th Floor, Fisher Building, 3011 E. Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48202
    January 19   Teacher selection committee convenes to review submitted books  
    January 20–25 Teacher selection committees solicit student input from their students  
    January 27   All final feedback collected from teacher selection committee  
    February 15   Authors notified of committee selections  
    March 3   Catalog of books available on the Hub for FY23 school-level purchases  

     

  • Panel Process

    • Teachers apply to review books on the selection committee 
    • Local authors complete the online application and provide physical samples of texts to the Office of Literacy, 9th Floor, Fisher Building, 3011 E. Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48202
    • Selection committee convenes to review submitted books 
    • Selection committee solicits student input
    • Selection committee submits final feedback
    • Authors notified of committee selections
    • Catalog of books are made available for school-level purchases