ULS Outstanding Professional Development Award

Established in 2015, this award is intended to recognize library, archives, or museum workers whose contributions to providing professional development opportunities for academic libraries have been especially noteworthy or influential. The effect of these contributions may be the result of continuous or distinguished service to the profession, but may also be the result of extraordinarily active, innovative or collaborative work that deserves national recognition.

Award

A certificate for the award recipient. This award is administered by the ACRL University Libraries Section (ULS) and is juried by the ACRL/ULS Award Committee. 

Eligibility

Any individual, or group of individuals, who works, or recently has worked within the last year in an academic or national library, archive, or museum is eligible. Award recipients do not have to be members of ACRL or ULS.

Criteria

At least two of the following criteria need to be met:

  • Implementing innovative or creative professional development ideas or activities that have measurably impacted academic library users and / or the profession.
  • Active participation in special projects, efforts or initiatives related to providing professional development opportunities that have measurably impacted academic library users and / or the profession.
  • Evidence of service and/or collaboration over time related to providing professional development activities that clearly benefited a number of academic library workers and library users.
  • Exemplary and influential research and/or scholarship pertaining to professional development for academic librarians, archivists, and/or curators.

Submissions

Submissions are currently being accepted through December 12, 2025.

Electronic submissions through the online submission form are required. Self
nominations are accepted. Nominations should include:

  • A full and clear description in two (2) pages or less of the nominee(s)' work
    as it pertains to the development and provision of high-quality continuing
    education opportunities for academic libraries.
  • One (1) letter of support from a beneficiary (may be a library, archives, or
    museum professional or user) of the professional development
    opportunities detailing how the professional development has benefited
    academic libraries.
  • If applicable, a list of publications or research conducted by the
    candidate(s), with an explanation of how the research pertains to providing
    high quality professional development activities.

Submissions will be reviewed using this rubric. 

View the full awards committee roster here.

Information & Assistance

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

Previous Recipients

  • 2021 – Nimisha Bhat, Hailley Fargo, Chelsea Heinbach and Charissa Powell - Award Announcement
  • 2020 – Mary Anne Hansen - Award Announcement
  • 2019 – Lynda Kellam  - Award Announcement
  • 2018 – Corey Halaychik and Ashley Maynor
  • 2017 – Alanna Aiko Moore
  • 2016 – Nicole Pagowsky