CLS Innovation in College Libraries Award

The purpose of the CLS Innovation Award is to recognize small to mid-sized college or university library workers who demonstrate innovation in library services. Innovation should relate to one or more of the ACRL Plan for Excellence (revised in November 2022) areas of focus, which include: demonstrating the value of academic libraries, student learning, research and scholarly environment, new roles and changing landscape, and equity, diversity and inclusion. Innovation can be in the areas of programs, services or operations. 

This award was previously known as the CLS Innovation in College Librarianship Award. This award was previously sponsored by SCELC with a $1000 cash prize to recipients. After a hiatus from 2022-2025, the award was relaunched for 2026. Monetary prizes are no longer a component for any ACRL professional recognition award. 

Award

The award includes a certificate of recognition. 

Eligibility

Nominees must be in an academic library setting at institutions fitting the Carnegie classifications of Baccalaureate or Masters Colleges and Universities. Self-nominations are accepted. ALA/ACRL membership is not required for nominees or award recipients. 

Criteria

As nominee(s), library worker(s) must demonstrate a capacity for innovation through:
working with or serving undergraduates or instructors in one (or more) of the areas designated by the ACRL Plan for Excellence: demonstrating the value of academic libraries, student learning, research and scholarly environment, new roles and changing landscape, and equity, diversity, and inclusion. 

OR 

facilitating library colleagues' ability to serve the community within one of the areas designated by the ACRL Plan for Excellence.

The ACRL/CLS Leadership Committee has developed a rubric to narrow the pool of nominations and provide guidance during the committee's selection process.

Submissions

Submissions are now closed. Submissions were accepted through December 12, 2025. Nominees were notified in Spring 2026. 

Electronic submissions through the online nomination form are required. Nominations should include the following:

  1. Please write a description of your project addressing the following points (no more than 750 words)
    - How does the innovation relate to the ACRL Plan for Excellence? Refer to the plan’s areas of focus: demonstrating the value of academic libraries, student learning, research and scholarly environment, new roles and changing landscape, and equity, diversity and inclusion.  
    - How can other libraries or library workers benefit from the innovation?  
    - Discuss the impact of the innovation (i.e. assessments completed, metrics gathered, etc).  
  2. Please provide 1-3 supporting documents as evidence of the work.  Examples of evidence include but are not limited to syllabi, lesson plans, photographs, slideshows, LibGuide, or assessment results.

The selected recipient will provide a statement describing the impact that the project has had on their library. This statement will be used in the announcement for the following year's award call for nominations.

Committee

The award is administered by the College Libraries Section of ACRL and juried by the ACRL/CLS Leadership Committee.

Information & Assistance

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

Nominations for the 2027 ACRL Awards will open in Fall 2026. 

Recipients

  • 2026 - Tristan MK Draper and Mary Elizabeth Schiavone, Beloit College, for Librarians Spill the Tea Podcast - Press Release
  • 2022-2025 - Hiatus
  • 2021 - No recipient
  • 2020 - Brett Spencer, Sarah Hartman-Caverly, and Alexandria Chisholm, Penn State University, Berks Campus - Award Announcement
  • 2019 - Bill Jones and Ben Rawlins, State University of New York (SUNY)-Geneseo Milne Library - Award Announcement
  • 2018 - Teresa D. Williams, Business Librarian at Butler University
  • 2017 - Jennifer Hunter and Christina Riehman-Murphy, Penn State-Abington
  • 2016 - Barbara Merolli, College of the Holy Cross
  • 2015 - Melinda Beland, Angie Cox, Melissa Gevaert, Anna Hollingsworth and Linda McLaury, University of Northern Iowa’s Rod Library
  • 2014 - Tish Hayes, Terra B. Jacobson and Troy A. Swanson, Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC) Library
  • 2013 - Erin T. Smith and Jamie P. Kohler, Westminster College McGill Library
  • 2012 - Anne Burke, Adrienne Lai, and Adam Rogers, North Carolina State University Libraries
  • 2011 - Catherine Haras and Teresa Portilla Omidsalar, California State University at Los Angeles
  • 2010 - Sigrid Kelsey and Angela K. VandenBroek, Louisiana State University
  • 2009 - Bruce Connolly and Gail Golderman, Union College