EBSS Distinguished Education and Behavioral Sciences Librarian Award

The EBSS Distinguished Education and Behavioral Sciences Librarian Award honors an academic librarian who has made an outstanding contribution as an education and/or behavioral sciences librarian through professional and scholarly accomplishments and service to the profession.

Award

The award includes a certificate of recognition and is juried by the ACRL/EBSS Awards Committee. 

Criteria

Nominators should provide evidence of the nominee’s achievements in two or more of the following areas and the impact of the nominee’s work beyond their institution:

  • Significant service to the organized profession through ACRL/EBSS and/or related organizations
  • Significant academic library service in the areas of education and/or behavioral sciences
  • Significant contributions to improve accessibility, diversity, or equity in the areas of academic library services or programs in education and/or behavioral sciences
  • Significant research and publication in areas of academic library services in education and/or behavioral sciences
  • Significant innovations in instruction, reference, or collection management in education and/or the behavioral sciences
  • Planning and implementation of impactful academic library programs in education and/or the behavioral sciences disciplines that could serve as a model for others. 

Self-nominations are accepted. The Committee reserves the right not to issue an award in years when there are no qualified nominees. Nominees may decline the nomination.

Awards will only be conferred once to a specific individual.

Candidates will need to be re-nominated to be considered for the award in future years.

Submissions

Submissions are currently being accepted through December 12, 2025.

Electronic submissions through the online nomination form are required. Nominations should include a letter of support and a CV.

All supporting documents should be compiled by the nominator and uploaded to the webform as a single PDF by the first Friday in December of each year.

  • Electronic submissions are required
  • Nomination/support letters should be no more than 3 pages, double spaced, 12-point font
  • Nomination letter is required
  • Nominee’s C.V is required
  • 1-2 additional letters of support are optional

Signed nomination letter and 1-2 optional letters of support should provide evidence of the nominee’s achievements in two or more of the areas listed in the criteria and the impact of the nominee’s work beyond their institution:

View the full awards committee roster here.

Information & Assistance

Questions should be directed to ACRL staff, acrlawards@ala.org 

Previous Recipients

  • 2025 - No recipient
  • 2024 - No recipient
  • 2023 - No recipient
  • 2022 - No recipient
  • 2021 - Kaya van Beynen - Award Announcement
  • 2020 – Cassandra Kvenild - Award Announcement
  • 2019 – Joyce Garczynski - Award Announcement
  • 2018 – Scott Collard
  • 2017 – Deborah L. Schaeffer
  • 2016 – No recipient
  • 2015 – No recipient
  • 2014 – Stephanie Davis-Kahl
  • 2013 – Judith A. Walker
  • 2012 – Scott Walter
  • 2011 – Douglas Cook
  • 2010 – Penny Minton Beile
  • 2009 – Gary Lare
  • 2008 – John William Collins III
  • 2007 – Patricia O’Brien Libutti
  • 2006 – Elizabeth Oakley Hutchins
  • 2005 – Kate Corby
  • 2004 – Laurene E. Zaporozhetz
  • 2003 – Ilene F. Rockman
  • 2002 – Barbara E. Kemp
  • 2001 – Charles B. Thurston
  • 2000 – Leslie Bjorncrantz
  • 1999 – Jo Ann Carr
  • 1998 – Eva L. Kiewitt
  • 1997 – Nancy O’Brien
  • 1996 – Donald V. Osier
  • 1995 – Hannelore Rader
  • 1994 – Mary Ellen Collins