Achievement and Distinguished Service Awards
Achievement and distinguished service awards honor academic and research librarians for significant past achievements, such as publications, program development, or general leadership in the profession. Awards include a citation and may include a monetary prize.
Award nominations submissions for 2026 are now closed. For the ACRL Guide to Policies and Procedures around awards, please refer to Chapter 12: Awards.
Note: Membership in ACRL or ALA is not required for a nominee for any ACRL Award.
Division Awards
ACRL Academic/Research Librarian of the Year Award
Recognizes an outstanding member of the library profession who has made a significant national or international contribution to academic or research librarianship and library development.
ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries Awards
Recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of the librarians and library staff of a community college, college, and university library each year.
Section Awards
CJCLS Community College Library Leadership Award
Recognizes significant achievement in the areas of community college leadership.
CJCLS Community College Library Program Award
Recognizes significant achievement in the area of community college programs.
CLS Innovation in College Libraries Award
Recognizes college librarians and staff who demonstrate innovation in their library.
DOLS Distance Learning Librarianship Award
Honors any individual ACRL member working in the field of, or contributing to the success of, distance learning librarianship or related library service in higher education.
EBSS Distinguished Education and Behavioral Sciences Librarian Award
Honors a distinguished academic librarian who has made an outstanding contribution as an education and/or behavioral sciences librarian through accomplishments and service to the profession.
IS Miriam Dudley Librarian Award
Recognizes an individual librarian who has made an especially significant contribution to the advancement of instruction in a college or research library environment.
IS Innovation Award
Recognizes a project that demonstrates creative, innovative, or unique approaches to information literacy instruction or programming.
PPIRS Marta Lange Press 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.
ULS Outstanding Professional Development Award
Recognizes library, archives, or museum workers whose contributions to providing professional development opportunities for academic libraries have been especially noteworthy or influential.
*Please note that monetary award amounts are subject to change without notice and are contingent upon donor funding supplied at the time the award is presented. Questions about these awards should be directed to the committee chairperson or to acrl@ala.org.
