Details about the 2021 Dorothy Shoemaker Awards will be announced early October. The contest will run from November 1 – November 30, 2021. 

We invite poets and song-writers to watch for guidelines and information on this year’s contest.

About the Dorothy Shoemaker Awards

The Awards began in 1967 as a Centennial project, created by Dorothy Shoemaker, Kitchener Public Library's Chief Librarian from 1944 to 1971. 

In 1996, when government funding for the awards was eliminated, Ms. Shoemaker made a significant personal donation to ensure the awards would continue. In 2000, Ms. Shoemaker passed away at the age of 94; however, her legacy of support for aspiring writers continues today through her ongoing endowment. The contest is available to individuals living in Southwestern Ontario