1. Chairperson - Keeps panel on track; handles all announcements and external communications for panel; breaks ties that are not broken by the full panel.
2. Eligibility Checker - Checks nominated sites and entries for eligibility (see below); collects site nominee e-mail addresses.
3. Link Checker - Reviews eligible sites and entries to ensure all URLs are valid; collects entry nominee e-mail addresses.
4. Tallyist - Tracks all panel votes received to determine finalists; ensures all eligible panelists vote.
5. Secretary - Verifies e-mail addresses of all eligible nominees; personally notifies all nominees, finalists and winners.

Except for the chair, positions can be shared or combined, provided all responsibilities are covered and all panelists are able to participate to their satisfaction.

1. An award need not be given in any or every listed category.
2. A nominee cannot win the same award more than once per 12-month period. You may consult the list of recent winners.
3. Past Legacy Award (Hall of Fame) winners are indefinitely ineligible for site awards.
4. Panelists are ineligible for all awards for the quarter in which they serve.
5. Diarist Award coordinators (currently Ryan Ozawa and Jolene Baldwin) are ineligible for all awards.
6. Entries must be written or posted during the specified award period (except Outstanding Entry, which highlights older pieces).

1. Serving is a challenging and sometimes stressful task, but it should also be rewarding. During deliberations, a great deal of time and energy is required, so be sure that personal schedules and other committments will not conflict or overwhelm you.
2. Setting a timeline for the various stages of panel work and sticking to it is one of the best ways to ensure everything goes smoothly. Panels can often base their calendar on the schedules used by previous panels.
3. Panel documents consist primarily of Microsoft Excel (.xls) spreadsheet files, thus access to and minimal familiarity with it or compatible software is strongly recommended. A basic viewer utility is available for PC users.
4. The panel has the discretion to move nominees to more appropriate categories, via clear consensus or vote.
5. The panel has the discretion to eliminate a nominee given clear evidence said nominee actively campaigned to be nominated.
6. In the event of a tie, the panel has the discretion to call for a full-panel revote, time allowing. Otherwise, ties are traditionally broken by the chair. Whether the full panel or chair breaks ties should be determined in advance of deliberations, and in developing the timeline.
7. Panelists should refrain from public discussion or debate regarding the relative merits or weaknesses of nominees (which are always confidential) or finalists. In order to avoid the appearance of impropriety, only the chair preferrably with input from the panel should comment on the awards outside the closed panel discussion list.
8. Discussions and debates may be intense and passionate, but should not turn personal. Professionalism is expected both on and off the closed list.
9. All deliberations, discussions, and documents generated by the panel are absolutely confidential. Disclosure to outside parties of any panel matters is grounds for immediate removal, and indefinite ineligibility for future panels.

• January 1: Panel Activated (Nominations Open)
• January 5: Panel Introductions & Position Preferences
• January 10: Timeline Set
• January 15: Positions Set (Nominations Close)
• January 17: Ineligible Nominations Culled, Site Nominee E-Mail Addresses Collected
• January 19: All URLs Verified, Entry Nominee E-Mail Addresses Collected
• January 21: Nominees Notified, Panel Begins Reviewing Nominees
• January 25: Deadline for Nominee Comments
• February 5: Panel Completes Review, Posts Votes to Determine Finalists
• February 10: Tallyist Posts Finalists, Ties Broken (If Any)
• February 15: Finalists Announced, Finalists Notified