Thayer Prize Eligibility and Nomination Information
CONTENT. Nominated works must be substantially about American circus history or a very closely related topic.
FORMAT. Works may be in any printed form: book; article; pamphlet; booklet; bibliography; a compendium of essays; exhibitor sales catalog; a single essay that is part of a more extensive work; or an original work contained in digital format on a disk or loaded on a permanent website.
POSTHUMOUS PUBLICATION. Works by deceased authors being published posthumously for the first time are eligible for nomination. The prize shall be awarded to the closest survivor or an immediate family representative, or to a representative of the organization that accomplished the publication.
EXCLUSIONS. Exhibits, websites, symposiums, etc. that do not issue a permanent document or are not archived in some permanent format are not eligible for nomination. Fictional works are not eligible. Simple re-printings and new editions of older works, without annotation or other updating that substantially improve the value of the work, do not qualify for nomination. Virtual and digital library content and activity are not eligible for nomination.
RELEASE DATE. Works published, issued or released within the two calendar years before the prize year are eligible for nomination.
NOMINATORS. Any current member in good standing of the Circus Historical Society may nominate one or more works for the Prize. Officers, Board members and members of the Prize committee who are CHS members may nominate works. Members may nominate their own works for the Prize.
NOMINATION SUBMISSIONS. All nominations shall be submitted in the format of the official nomination form. No other nomination forms shall be accepted.
NOMINATION. Only Current CHS members can submit nominations by logging on to the Thayer Prize page in the CHS Members Area on the CHS website.
DEADLINE. Nominations must be submitted no later than March 31 in order to be considered for the current year. Nominations are welcomed at any time during the year and will be considered by the selection committee consistent with these eligibility criteria.
ANNOUNCEMENT. The Thayer Prize will be announced and awarded at either a CHS convention or during a Circus History Live! program.