(via Gwen Gregory, IACRL President)
Do you know someone who has contributed to librarians’ growth and professional development? The University Libraries Section (ULS) of the Association of College and Research Libraries has a brand-new award designed to recognize such a person, the ULS Outstanding Professional Development Award. The winner will receive $1,000 cash and be recognized at ALA 2016 in Orlando.
Eligible individuals must currently be, or have recently been, a librarian, archivist, or curator at an academic, public, or national library. Candidates do not necessarily have to be current members of ACRL and ULS, but winners will be expected to join those organizations upon receiving the award. The individual should be someone who has had a significant impact on the profession in at least two of the following areas: implementing creative or innovative ideas for professional development; actively participating in special initiatives or projects that foster professional development; having collaborated over time to create professional-development opportunities benefitting both library staff and users; and having a record of research or scholarship in professional-development activities for librarians. Nominators should submit a two-page essay detailing the individual’s contributions to professional development, a letter of reference from either a library staff member or a library user who has benefitted from the candidate’s efforts, and (if applicable) a list of the individual’s publications or research activities related to professional development.
The deadline to apply for the award is Friday, December 4. Send submissions to Rebecca Blakiston, at blakisto@email.arizona.edu. For more information about the award, including the guidelines for applying, go here.