Georgia Book Award website.

Tentative Agenda

Conference Events

General Sessions
The speakers at the General Sessions are authors and illustrators of children's books. We invite the winners of the "Georgia Children's Picture Storybook Award" and the "Georgia Children's Book Award" to speak and accept their awards. We also invite other award-winning authors and illustrators who write in various genres and for various grade levels and who represent various cultures. We aim for variety and diversity among General Session speakers.

Attendees
The conference is attended by K-8 teachers and library media specialists, as well as by public librarians and others who are interested in children's literature.

Concurrent Sessions
Concurrent sessions are 45 minutes.

Teachers, library media specialists, public librarians, and others submit proposals to be presenters at the conference. They are professionals who are willing to share what works in their classrooms and libraries with other professionals. Consider being a presenter and sharing what works in your position.

Autographing
Autographing is one of the most popular events of the conference. Typically, each speaker is available for autographing several times during the conference.

Book Sales
Books by all of the General Session speakers are available for sale at the conference. The conference bookstore is run by the UGA Bookstore; credit cards are accepted. Other children's books and professional books are also available in the conference bookstore.

Meals

• Friday Luncheon — All people who register for the whole conference have tickets to attend the Friday Luncheon.
• Saturday Breakfast Buffet — The Country Breakfast Buffet is optional and includes all the traditional Southern fare, plus cereals, fruit, and bagels — something for everyone.
• Saturday Storyteller's Luncheon — All attendees who register for the whole conference or the Saturday-only conference are invited to the Storyteller's Luncheon. Advanced RSVP is required.

Staff Development Units (SDUs)
SDUs are not available this year.

Georgia Children's Book Awards Program
www.coe.uga.edu/gcba

You decide the award winners by voting online!

Nominees
Current and past nominees for the "Georgia Picture Storybook Award" (K-4) and the "Georgia Book Award" (4-8) are listed on our Web site at www.coe.uga.edu/gcba.

Participation
A link for registering your school to participate is provided on our Web site. Schools need to register to participate each year. The phone number you provide will be your password for voting. You may register to participate up to 48 hours before voting ends.

Vote
Web voting will begin at noon on Monday, April 7, 2008, and will end at noon on Wednesday, May 7, 2008.

Graduate Programs in Children's Literature
www.coe.uga.edu/lle

The Department of Language and Literacy Education of UGA's College of Education offers graduate degrees (M.Ed., Ed.S., and Ph.D.) in children's literature and language arts for grades K-8. Please attend the sessions about our graduate programs at the conference if you are interested, or contact elangc@uga.edu.

Georgia Center Information

The Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center & Hotel, located on the beautiful, historic campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, provides innovative lifelong learning opportunities that develop intellectual and human potential. A total living and learning environment, the Georgia Center includes a 200-room hotel, restaurants, banquet areas, conference rooms, auditoriums, a fitness center, and computer lab — all under one roof. As a unit of UGA's Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, the Center brings the University's teaching, research, and service expertise to the people of Georgia and beyond! For more information, visit www.georgiacenter.uga.edu.

Special Needs:
If you require special services, facilities, or dietary considerations, contact Edith Tucker at 706-583-0414 or Edith.Tucker@georgiacenter.uga.edu, at least five business days before your event.

Lodging (Georgia Center Hotel):
A block of rooms is being held for your conference until 5:00 p.m. ET, February 7, 2008. Policies: (1) Tax Exemption — The State of Georgia only allows tax-exempt charges for a payment by a state-issued credit card or check or by a direct bill to a state agency (with a Georgia State Tax Exemption Certificate). (2) Lodging Cancellation — Cancel your reservation by 4:00 p.m. ET the day prior to your scheduled arrival to avoid being charged one night's room and tax. (3) At check-in, you must present your credit card or a completed credit card authorization form (for a copy, call 800-884-1381, Mon.-Fri., 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET). Note: The Georgia Center is a smoke-free building; all lodging rooms are nonsmoking.

Travel Information:
Athens, Georgia, is located about 60 miles northeast of Atlanta. For directions, see www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/conferences/about/directions.phtml. A parking deck is located adjacent to the Center (hourly rates, maximum $8 each 24-hour period; vehicle height limit, 7 feet). Athens is served by two airports. Athens-Ben Epps Airport offers connecting flights to and from Charlotte, NC. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is located about 90 minutes southwest of Athens, with scheduled ground shuttle service and rental car service available between the airport and the Georgia Center.

Program Cancellation Policies:
(1) Full refunds are available for cancellations made by 5:00 p.m. ET, February 18, 2008. No refunds will be issued thereafter; substitutions will be allowed. (2) If a program is cancelled for any reason, the Georgia Center will not be responsible for any charges related to travel.

Registration