Tips for Miriam Dudley Instruction Award

Drafted by Esther Grassian, June 20, 1997
Revised by Mary Jane Petrowski and Loanne Snavely; approved by the Executive Committee, May 1998
Revised by Randy Hensley; approved by the Executive Committee, May 1999
Revised by Elizabeth Dupuis; approved by the Executive Committee, September 2005
Revised by Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe; approved by the Executive Committee, September, 2007
Revised by Jennifer Dorner, approved by the Executive Committee, July 2008
Revised by Polly Boruff-Jones, approved by the Executive Committee, July 2012

A nominator may choose to nominate someone for the award without notifying the nominee. When the Dudley Award Subcommittee receives a nomination, they should contact the nominee for their permission to be considered for the award and to request a current copy of their vita. It is important to keep in mind that the nominations are completely confidential, including names of nominees and nominators, letters of nomination, as well as consideration comments by Awards Committee members.

Nominations from previous years will not be retained; however, the Dudley Award Subcommittee chair should pass on a list of names and contact information for strong candidates (and their nominators) to the incoming Dudley Award Subcommittee chair. The incoming chair will contact the past nominator(s) of the strong candidates to encourage them to submit an updated version of the nomination letter.

Timeline

JULY (After the Annual Conference)

  • The incoming Awards Committee Chair should ensure the ACRL Awards page (http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlawards/miriamdudley.htm) is updated with the new deadline and new chair's contact information.
  • ACRL will send a packet of materials about general awards processes to the Dudley Award Subcommittee Chair.
  • The IS Past Chair forms a small subcommittee within the IS Awards Committee, usually three members including the IS Past Chair, simply to consider Dudley Award nominations.

AUGUST - SEPTEMBER

  • Publish the call for nominations on the IS web site, the IS Newsletter (fall issue), C&RL News (September issue) and other appropriate venues.
  • Solicit nominations from all current IS Advisory and IS Executive members via Advisory and Executive email lists
  • Post the call for nominations to pertinent library email lists (e.g., ILI-L, INFOLIT-L, LIRT-L, COLLIB-L, ULS-L, WESS-L, ANSS-L, STS-L, and LES-L ).

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER

  • The Dudley Award Subcommittee will review the list of strong candidates from the previous year’s pool of candidates. The subcommittee will contact the past nominator(s) to encourage them to submit an updated version of the nomination letter.
  • As nominations arrive, the subcommittee will contact the nominee for their permission to be considered for the award and to request a current copy of their vita.
  • Conduct another round of publicity if a quality pool has not been identified by late October.
  • At the end of November, notify ACRL about the number of nominations and applications received and request an extension for the deadline if needed.

DECEMBER

  • Send copies of all nominations to the subcommittee members for individual review.
  • Schedule a conference call with the subcommittee members for initial discussion during virtual Midwinter.

MIDWINTER CONFERENCE

  • Conduct additional discussions to select the recipient, if needed.
  • Notify the IS Awards Chair and IS Chair with the name of the Miriam Dudley Award recipient, and announce this selection at the Executive Committee during the Midwinter Conference. [The IS Executive Committee does not approve the recipient of the Dudley Award]. Remind everyone that the selection is to remain confidential until ACRL issues the press release.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER MIDWINTER CONFERENCE

  • Contact the following individuals as soon as possible (in the order listed below).
    • ACRL Executive Director
    • Award recipient
  • Send thank-you letters to all nominators. Encourage nominators of strong candidates to send an updated nomination letter the following year. Prepare a media profile for the award recipient as instructed by ACRL for publication in C&RL News, Section web site, and elsewhere. Send a draft to the award recipient to review and ask for a digital photograph. Check with the recipient regarding local media contacts for the announcement.
  • Coordinate publicity announcements with the Awards Committee chair so that all awards can be publicized as a group on ILI-L and Section web site.

MARCH-MAY

  • Send brief descriptive article to IS Newsletter Editor for spring issue.
  • Confirm award recipient can attend the Annual Conference. Alert the Award winner about the location of the IS Soiree and send him/her RSVP contact information.
  • ACRL will have the plaque made and sent to Annual. The Instruction Section will reimburse ACRL for the cost of the plaque. Ensure correct award information is listed on the IS Conference Program schedule.

ONE MONTH BEFORE ANNUAL

  • Be sure to notify the award recipient as soon as arrangements are made of the exact time, place, and date of the Award presentation.
  • Prepare very brief introductory remarks regarding the Award recipient to be delivered at the IS conference program at Annual. Make arrangements to pick up the plaque and check from ACRL before the award ceremony at Annual.
  • Plan to bring or ensure that someone else will have a digital camera to take photographs of the ceremony.

AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE

  • Host Dudley Award winner during IS Soiree. The Dudley Award winner will be announced and toasted at the IS Soiree.
  • Facilitate photographs.
  • Introduce the award recipient at the ceremony preceding the IS Conference Program. (IS Chair presents the awards).

IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING ANNUAL

  • Confirm that photographs are sent to Dudley winner.
  • Write and submit the Dudley Award Subcommittee Annual Report.
  • Send a list of names and contact information for strong candidates worthy of future consideration (and their nominators), as well as other important materials to the IS Past Chair who will chair the next Dudley Award Subcommittee.
  • Send appropriate materials to the IS Archivist for the official archives.