Library History Round Table (LHRT)

Call for Nominations

The Innovation and Advocacy in Library History Award

The Innovation and Advocacy in Library History Award is presented by the ALA Library History Round Table (LHRT) as a "best of year" achievement award that acknowledges individuals or organizations that have made recent, substantive contributions to LHRT or to the wider library history community. The intention of this non-monetary award is to recognize efforts that are ineligible for other LHRT prizes; thus, nominations which emphasize publication of articles, books, dissertations, or essays will not be considered.

Eligibility and Criteria

Nominations, including self-nominations, are welcomed from all interested parties but must pertain to activities taking place in the past two years. Nominations will be judged on the contributions' quality, impact, and relevance to LHRT or the library history community. The LHRT is particularly interested in recognizing those who have promoted library history in exceptional or new ways or who have reached audiences that have not been engaged previously. Nominee membership in LHRT is encouraged but not required.

Submissions and Selection

Each nomination must include a brief statement thoroughly explaining the contribution or project and why the nominee is worthy of consideration. It must also include at least two (2) letters of support. Individual nominees must include a CV or resume, while organizational nominees must include a statement indicating the organization's mission and other background information. Nominators of the same entity may be asked to collaborate to produce stronger applications and reduce duplicative effort. The selection of awardees will be made by an LHRT committee and will be announced in June 2025. Please submit nominations using this form by Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Contact Jennifer Bartlett, LHRT Vice Chair, at jen.bartlett@uky.edu for more information.

The Distinguished Service in Library History Award

The Distinguished Service in Library History Award is presented annually by the ALA Library History Round Table (LHRT) and honors the career of a person who has a lifetime of scholarship and service in the field of library history. This non-monetary award is intended to be given to an individual who has a record of contributions; who demonstrates length, breadth, and depth of involvement in library history; and who has had a significant impact on the work of the ALA Library History Round Table or on the library history community at large.

Eligibility and Criteria

Criteria for the Award include the significance of contributions to library history, such as publications in the field, courses taught in library history, and service to the field through the LHRT or other groups. The intention of the Award is to recognize service; thus, nominations which emphasize research and publication and do not describe service or other activities pertaining to library history will not be considered. Personal membership in the LHRT is encouraged but is not required for an individual to be selected for the Award.

Submissions and Selection

Current LHRT members may submit a letter of nomination. The nomination must include the nominee's curriculum vitae and at least two (2) letters of support. Nominators of the same individual may be asked to collaborate to produce stronger nominations and to reduce duplicate effort. The selection of the awardee will be made by an LHRT committee and will be announced in June 2025. Please submit nominations using this form by Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Contact Jennifer Bartlett, LHRT Vice Chair, at jen.bartlett@uky.edu for more information.

Mission

LHRT encourages research and publication on library history and promotes awareness and discussion of historical issues in librarianship.

Libraries: Culture, History, and Society

Libraries: Culture, History, and Society (LCHS) is peer-reviewed publication of the Library History Round Table of the American Library Association and the Penn State University Press, LCHS is available in print and online via JSTOR and Project Muse.

The only journal in the United States devoted to library history, LCHS positions library history as its own field of scholarship, while bringing together scholars from many disciplines to examine the history of libraries as institutions, collections, and services, as well as the experiences of library employees and users. There are no limits of time period or geography, and libraries of every type are included (private, public, corporate, academic, and school libraries, and special collections). In addition to Library Science, the journal welcomes contributors from History, English, Literary Studies, Education, Sociology, Gender/Women’s Studies, Race/Ethnic Studies, Political Science, Architecture, and other disciplines.
Manuscripts must be submitted electronically through LCHS’s Editorial Manager system at https://www.editorialmanager.com/LCHS . They must also conform to the instructions for authors at https://www.editorialmanager.com/LCHS/account/LCHS%20Author%20Submission%20Guidelines.pdf. New scholars, and authors whose work is in the "idea" stage, are welcomed to contact the editors if they would like guidance prior to submission.

Staff Contact

Danielle Ponton
Program Manager for Round Tables
dponton@ala.org