Marta Lange/SAGE-CQ Press Award

ACRL's Awards program will be on hold for the 2021-2022 award season, during which time nominations will not be accepted or juried and no recipients will be chosen for any ACRL awards. For more information, please contact Lauren Carlton.


This annual award recognizes an academic or law librarian who, through research, service to the profession, or other creative activity, makes distinguished contributions to bibliography and information service in law or political science. This award honors Marta Lange, 1990-91 Law and Political Science Section (LPSS) Chair, whose exceptional talents as a leader were enhanced by a wonderful collegial spirit. Her bright career, cut short in a fatal automobile accident in 1992, was an inspiration to others and a model of professional service.

Award

$1,000 cash and a plaque sponsored by SAGE-CQ Press.

Criteria

Nominations should highlight the nominee’s distinguished contributions to librarianship in political science, international affairs, policy, law, and government related fields. Contributions to the profession take many forms, and we have designated the following categories as ones worthy of recognition: innovation in teaching and learning, scholarship and research, service to the profession, mentorship, civic engagement, and lifetime achievement. Only one award will be given each year from the submitted nominations, but nominations can be made in any of these categories. In years where there is an outstanding Lifetime Achievement nomination as well as an outstanding nomination in another category, the section reserves the right to award both recipients, with SAGE-CQ Press sponsoring one award and the section sponsoring the other.

Nominators should select the category where the nominee has made the most contributions, or that best fits the activities for which the nominator would like the nominee recognized. Nominations can span categories if the person or project meets the criteria of more than one, but the nomination should explain the contributions in each category.

Lifetime achievement nominations should look across all categories and may be awarded in addition to another award in any given year.

Nominees must be active members of PPIRS or other related professional organizations (ACRL, GODORT, AALL, etc). Preference will be given to candidates who are members of PPIRS.

Categories

Below are the categories for nominations and a description of each.

Innovation in Teaching and Learning

Recognizes the development or improvement of significant educational resources and/or services for use in the teaching and learning of law, politics or policy related fields. Nominations should describe the innovative efforts and contributions of the nominee. Examples of Innovation in Teaching and Learning include, but are not limited to:

  • Comprehensive design and implementation of information services program related to political science, international affairs, policy, law, and government.
  • Outstanding course/curriculum partnership and development with a faculty member or department, for example:
    • Embedded librarianship in a course or program that serves as a model for the academic department, college or university, or the field of librarianship.
    • Collaborative and innovative assignment development that serves as a model for political science related librarianship
  • Significant innovation in the development or improvement of tools or methods for library instruction in political science, international affairs, policy, law, and government.

Scholarship and Research

Recognizes significant scholarly and research contributions in law, politics or policy related librarianship. Examples of Scholarship and Research include, but are not limited to:

  • History of significant contributions to librarianship through research, publications and other activities that display active participation in the advancement of scholarship political science, international affairs, policy, law, and government.
  • . Examples of contributions include:
    • Publications, journal articles, or presentations about law, politics or policy related librarianship, reference tools for the subject area, or similar types of projects or programs.
    • Book reviews.
  • Active involvement in the profession of law politics or policy related librarianship through the presentation of research or professional activities, including posters, panels, workshops, or contributed papers at professional conference or events.

Service to the Profession

Recognizes significant leadership and active participation in the library profession, as well as law, politics or policy related librarianship. Examples of Service to the Profession include, but are not limited to:

  • Active involvement in the profession of law, politics or policy related librarianship through participation in the section, or related regional and national organizations. Examples may include:
    • Leadership or extensive participation on committees, or serving on boards or executive councils
    • Planning or hosting professional conferences or events
  • Implementation of noteworthy or nationally recognized programs or services related to political science, international affairs, policy, law, and government related librarianship. Examples of programs and services may include:
    • Creation of professionally recognized educational series (e.g. webinars) for librarian training on key topics, resources, and/or issues.
    • Creation of professionally recognized online toolkits or guides for librarians’ use on key topics, resources, and/or issues.
  • Creation of discussion groups/lists, interest groups or roundtables on issues surrounding political science, international affairs, policy, law, and government.

Mentorship

Recognizes ongoing and significant efforts to support and assist colleagues, especially those beginning their professional careers and/or new to law, politics or policy related librarianship. Examples of Mentorship include, but are not limited to:

  • Promotion or development of a noteworthy or nationally recognized educational program or series for librarian training in law, politics or policy related librarianship that has served as a model for other courses and programs. Examples may include:
    • Professionally recognized boot camps, conferences, or webinar series
  • Mentorship of library school students and/or new librarians in the areas of political science, international affairs, policy, law, and government librarianship

Civic Engagement

Recognizes ongoing and significant efforts to connect the library to its broader communities around law, politics or policy related issues. Examples of Civic Engagement include, but are not limited to:

  • Leadership in efforts to involve the library, its personnel and/or resources in broader community issues, for example:
    • Development of high impact speaker series or symposia around campus, local, or national policy issues
    • Extensive involvement in the creation of notable campus or community observance events (e.g.Constitution Day).
  • Creation and promotion of library outreach programs, or partnerships with departments or research centers. Examples of programs include:
    • Civic engagement programs (e.g. government document training)

Lifetime Achievement

Recognizes the cumulative career achievements of political science, international affairs, policy, law, and government related librarianship, including achievements in several of the following: scholarship (publications and presentations), service to the profession (professional organization and committee work), instruction and reference services, mentorship, library outreach and civic engagement. This prestigious recognition is given to librarians with at least 20 years of service to the profession.

Lifetime Achievement Awards will be considered as nominations are received, but held to the higher standards that a lifetime achievement award necessitates. The committee will consider the span and scope of the librarian’s contributions to political science, international affairs, policy, law, and government related librarianship when awarding a Lifetime Achievement Awards and will look for nominees who have demonstrated their commitment to politics librarianship on a large scale across a long career. The Lifetime Achievement Award may be awarded in addition to regular Marta Lange awards in years when there are outstanding nominations in both.

Submissions

Submissions are not currently being accepted.

Electronic submissions through the online submission form are required. Nominations must include a 500-1000 word narrative supporting the nomination. The narrative must speak to the impact of the nominee’s work on librarianship in political science through the areas of distinction for the selected category(ies). The committee will contact the nominee’s supervisor for more detailed information and a CV, which will be considered along with the nominator’s narrative. Nominations will be kept on file for three years for reconsideration by the committee.

Individuals may nominate themselves or others.​ Groups are eligible for nomination. In the latter case, the nomination should specify a group member to receive the award check. The member receiving the check would then be responsible for distributing the award funds among the other group members.

Questions or requests for assistance in compiling a nomination should be directed to award committee chair Jeremy Darrington, jdarring@princeton.edu.

View the full award committee roster here.

2021 Recipient

Photo of Jill Severn
Jill Severn, Archivist and Head of Access and Outreach, University of Georgia and Director, Russell Forum for Civic Life in Georgia

Previous Recipients

  • 2020 – Jeremy Darrington
  • 2019 – Lynda Kellam
  • 2018 – Allan Scherlen
  • 2017 – Julie A. Leuzinger
  • 2016 – Chad Kahl
  • 2015 – No recipient
  • 2014 – Brian E. Coutts
  • 2013 – Kathi Carlisle Fountain
  • 2012 – John Eaton
  • 2011 – Stephen E. Atkins
  • 2010 – Bruce Pencek
  • 2009 – Lynne Rudasill
  • 2008 – Lisa Norberg
  • 2007 – Binh P. Le
  • 2006 – Graham R. Walden
  • 2005 – Merle J. Slyhoff
  • 2004 – Lucia Snowhill
  • 2003 – Rosemary Allen Little
  • 2002 – Mary K. Fetzer
  • 2001 – Cheryl Nyberg
  • 2000 – Grace Ann York
  • 1999 – Jolande E. Goldberg
  • 1998 – Laura N. Gasaway
  • 1997 – Grace W. “Betty” Taylor
  • 1996 – Robert Goehlert