Chapter 12: Awards

12.1 Awards Ceremony
12.2 Awards Eligibility
12.3 Procedures
12.4 Multiple Awards
12.5 Conflict of Interest
12.6 Equity Training
12.7 Template for Awards Webpages

Awards Committees

12.1 Awards Ceremony

Awards are announced in the spring and are presented in a virtual award ceremony hosted by the Division each year. In addition to the virtual award ceremony, award winners are recognized in C&RL News.

12.2 Awards Eligibility

Membership in ACRL and/or its sections is not required in order to be nominated for or receive an award.

12.3 Procedures

Selection of recipients for ACRL awards and grants is made in a closed committee meeting of a jury appointed by the administering unit. Administering units develop their own criteria and procedures for nominating and selecting award recipients as appropriate to the individual award. However, all nomination and selection processes must reflect the following ACRL policies:

  • Committees may not request photos of nominees as part of the nominations process.

  • Committees that request letters of support as part of the nominations process must set a limit of no more than 3 letters.

    Membership in ACRL and/or its sections cannot be required in order to be nominated for or receive an award.

    All awards and grants should stipulate that self-nomination is possible. All ACRL award procedures stipulate that juries are not compelled to make awards in years when a suitable candidate has not been found.

12.4 Multiple Awards

No individual or group should receive more than a single award for the same publication or program, however this does not preclude them from receiving more than one award in the same awards cycle. As part of the selection process, all award decisions are reviewed by the Awards Coordinating Committee. In the event that the same individual or group has been selected for more than one award, the Awards Coordinating Committee will work with the chairs of the involved awards committees to determine whether one award committee should select a different recipient.

12.5 Conflict of Interest

Members of awards committees who encounter a conflict of interest during their time of service should consult ACRL policy 15.3 - https://www.ala.org/acrl/resources/policies/chapter15#15three

12.6 Equity Training

The Awards Coordinating Committee will provide annual training on equity practices for members of awards committees. All members serving on awards committees must complete training within three months of their appointment.

12.7 Template for Awards Webpages

At the ACRL level, pages follow a template that includes:

  • Award description
  • Eligibility
  • Criteria
  • Submissions (brief description of process)
  • Award Committee roster (link)
  • Recipients (most recent highlighted with photos; past years as a list)

Awards Committees

Administering units should establish a minimum committee size for each jury and have a clear process for appointing committee members. Units should strive for diverse representation and adequate rotation on committees. In the case of smaller sections, administering units may need to develop a strategy to build volunteer pools, including recruiting members from outside a section’s membership.

Awards committees are responsible for:

  • Establishing and documenting a nominations and selection process for their award.
  • Working with ACRL staff and the Awards Coordinating Committee to publicize the nominations process and deadline for the award(s) they jury.
  • Ensuring an adequate number of nominations are received, including soliciting nominations and assisting individuals in the nominations process as needed.
  • Reviewing nominations and selecting an award recipient.
  • Working with the Awards Coordinating Committee and ACRL staff to publicize recipients and support the annual awards ceremony.
  • Reviewing the award description, criteria, and selection process on a regular basis.
  • Filing an annual report that includes: a summary of the committee’s work for the year; the number of nominations received; information about the selected recipient; and how the award’s description, criteria, and selection process was reviewed and, as appropriate, updated.

Source: ACRL Board of Directors Meeting, January 26, 2024

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