Beginning October 1, 2018, RUSA opened the nomination period for its annual series of achievement awards and grants. Nominations and supporting materials for most awards must be submitted by January 15, 2019*.
RUSA encourages members to nominate their colleagues whose work has influenced their thinking and performance and whose outstanding contributions merit recognition by the profession. RUSA has, and will continue to, nominate, select and honor the very best in the field of reference and user services with the continued support of industry sponsors. Here are some achievement recognition awards for individuals and groups:
RUSA Margaret E. Monroe Library Adult Services Award is $1,250* and a citation presented to a librarian who has made significant contributions, such as publications, leadership, measurable effectiveness of programs, influence on others and creative and innovative concepts, to library adult services. The individual may be practicing librarian, a library and information science researcher or educator, or a retired librarian who has brought distinction to the profession’s understanding and practice or services for adults. Sponsored by NoveList.
The RUSA John Sessions Memorial Award recognizes a library or library system which has made a significant effort to work with the labor community and by doing so has brought recognition to the history and contribution of the labor movement to the development of the United States. Such efforts may include outreach projects to local labor unions; establishment of, or significant expansion of, special labor collections; initiation of programs of special interest to the labor community; or other library activities that serve the labor community. The winner will receive a plaque funded by the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO.
The RUSA Isadore Gilbert Mudge Award is sponsored by Credo Reference, this award presents a monetary prize of $5,000* and a citation to an individual who has made a distinguished contribution to reference librarianship. This contribution may include an imaginative and constructive program in a particular library; authorship of a significant book or articles in the reference field; creative and inspirational teaching; active participation in professional associations devoted to reference services; or leadership in other noteworthy professional activities. RUSA Award for Excellence in Reference and Adult Library Services sponsored by Reference USA is given to a library or library system for developing an imaginative and unique resource to meet patrons’ reference needs. $1,500* and a citation.
The RUSA Award for Excellence in Reference and Adult Library Services is a citation and $1,500* monetary award presented to a library or library system for developing an imaginative and unique resource to meet patrons’ reference needs. The resource can be a bibliography, a guide to the literature of a specific subject, a directory, a database, or any other project that has helped the library meet adult or children’s reference needs. Tools, guides or databases that have been developed for reader’s advisory or adult service questions and needs are also eligible for the award. This award is sponsored by ReferenceUSA.
The RUSA Gail Schlachter Memorial Research Grant is the newest established award in memory of Dr. Gail A. Schlachter by her children Sandy Hirsh and Eric Goldman, with contributions from her family and friends. This grant will be awarded annually in the amount of $5,000* to financially support to an individual or collaborative group conducting research into reference or user services whose research projects aim to better understand or answer key questions related to connecting people to resources, information services, and collections.
BRASS Public Librarian Support Award is an annual award sponsored by Morningstar. It offers a cash award of $1,250* in travel funds for a public librarian, who has performed outstanding business reference service, and who requires financial assistance, to attend the ALA Annual Conference.
BRASS Student Travel Award sponsored by SimplyAnalytics is an award of $1,250*. This monetary prize is given to a student enrolled in an ALA accredited master’s degree program to fund travel to and attendance at the ALA Annual Conference and a one-year membership in the Business Reference and Services Section (BRASS) of RUSA.
The BRASS Award for Excellence in Business Librarianship offers $4,000* and a citation to a librarian that has distinguished themselves in the field of Business Librarianship. This award is sponsored by Mergent by FTSE Russell.
BRASS Research Grant Award is awarded to an individual or team seeking support to conduct research in business librarianship. One $5,000* award will be presented.
BRASS Academic Business Librarianship Travel Award sponsored by Global Financial Data presents a citation and $1,250* to an individual new to the field of academic business librarianship in order to support attendance to the ALA Annual Conference. The winner does not need to be a member of ALA, RUSA, or BRASS but preference will be given to those that are, indeed members. Applicants should be an academic librarian with five or fewer years of experience in business librarianship or be a new (less than five years) member to BRASS.
CODES Zora Neale Hurston Award sponsored by Harper Collins Publishers is given to any ALA member who has demonstrated leadership in promoting African American literature. To further the professional development of the winner so that he or she can continue to build multicultural collections and serve diverse populations, the winner receives a $1,250 * monetary prize to fund travel expenses to the ALA Annual Conference, two tickets to the United for Libraries author events: The Gala Author Tea and The Laugh’s On Us, two complete sets of Zora Neale Hurston’s books and audiobooks and a beautiful personalized plaque.
The CODES Louis Shores Award recognizes an individual reviewer, group, editor, review medium, or organization for excellence in book reviewing and other media for libraries. Award winners receive a citation.
The ETS Achievement Award is given annually to recognize excellence in service to RUSA’s Emerging Technologies Section (ETS). The recipient must have made either (1) sustained contributions toward attaining the goals of ETS, or (2) a single, significant contribution that has resulted in a positive impact upon the work of the section.
The HS Genealogy / History Achievement Award, sponsored by ProQuest, presents a citation and $1,500* to a librarian, library or publisher, in recognition of professional achievement in historical or genealogical reference, service, or research librarianship. The recipient shall be selected for exceptional accomplishment in one or more of the following areas: leadership; service; training; reference; or publication of recent, significant print or digital reference works/projects that offer access to genealogical or historical sources. Preference shall be given to members of RUSA.
The Learning History Research and Innovation Award sponsored by Gale Cengage is granted to an MLS degreed librarian from an ALA accredited school to facilitate and further research relating to history and history librarianship. An emphasis in an area reflected by the History Section’s subject-oriented committees, not excluding American history, is required. Those committees are: Genealogy, Local History, Instruction and Research Services, and Historical Materials. The award winner receives a citation and $2500* which may be used at the winner’s discretion.
The HS Online History Award is offered every other year to a publisher of reference materials in the field of history. The award recognizes the accomplishments of a person or a group of people producing (1) a freely available online historical collection, or (2) an online tool tailored for the purpose of finding historical materials, or (3) an online teaching aid stimulating creative historical scholarship. A citation is presented.
RSS Service Achievement Award is presented annually to a member of the Reference Services Section (RSS) of RUSA in recognition of exceptional contributions to the section. The winner receives a citation.
STARS Award
The annual RUSA STARS Publication Recognition Award Sponsored by Atlas Systems is $1440* and a citation presented to librarians or library staff to highlight and encourage excellence in publication in STARS (Sharing and Transforming Access to Resources Section) areas, including interlibrary loan, document delivery, remote circulation, access services, cooperative reference, cooperative collection-development, remote storage and other shared library services.