The awards are sponsored by the Oklahoma Library Association[1][2] and administered by a committee of OLA members.

The winners are announced early spring of each year, and the winning authors are invited to the Association's annual conference to receive their awards and meet with students.

Finally in 2010, the Sequoyah High School Book Award (grades 9–12) was added to the program.

The award is named for Donna Norvell, Children's Consultant for the Oklahoma Department of Libraries from 1992 to 2004, who died in 2004.

The award honors Donna's contributions to the development of the library profession in Oklahoma.