Distinguished Librarian Award Guidelines
Distinguished Librarian Award Guidelines
1. Purpose of the Award
This award is intended to recognize excellence in librarianship, specifically as it furthers the teaching and research missions of the University on the Berkeley campus. The award is administered and funded by LAUC-B, and as such is distinct from regular promotion and advancement opportunities.
2. Criteria for Excellence in Librarianship
A successful candidate will demonstrate:
- Specific achievements or sustained excellence in fulfilling the missions of the UC Berkeley libraries: to acquire, organize, interpret, and provide access to information and knowledge
- Significant impact on the campus community and/or the library profession
- A consistent embodiment of the highest standards of librarianship, which enhance the activities and quality of the campus' intellectual community
These criteria may be met in a variety of ways, including activity which involves exceptional:
- Creativity
- Innovation
- Intellectual or moral courage
- Leadership
- Scholarship
Most previous winners have demonstrated exceptional achievement over long careers as library leaders.
3. Eligibility
All current members of the Berkeley Division of the Librarians Association of the University of California (except sitting members of the Distinguished Librarian Award Committee and previous winners) are eligible to be nominated, and are active at the time of the award.
4. Nominations
Nominations are requested by the Distinguished Librarian Award Committee which is appointed by the LAUC-B Executive Committee. Nominations may be submitted by LAUC-B members (except by sitting members of the Distinguished Librarian Award Committee), faculty, staff and students. Nominations shall be kept confidential. All nominations should be supported by appropriate documentation.
5. Nomination Documentation
Concise presentations focusing on the nominee’s contributions to the Berkeley campus are encouraged. The following materials should be supplied by the nominator:
- Cover letter outlining the nature of the outstanding contribution(s)
- Supporting letters (not more than five) from persons directly affected by the nominee's work.
- Nominee’s resume or curriculum vitae.
If additional information is needed, a member of the Award Committee will contact the nominator.
6. Number and Frequency of Awards
One or two awards may be granted every cycle; a cycle is two years. There is no requirement to grant an award in each cycle.
7. Notification of Award
The award recipient is notified prior to the official announcement of the award.
8. Award Ceremony
The selected Distinguished Librarian/s is/are publicly honored at an award ceremony, the LAUC-B Fall Assembly or at other appropriate fora. In addition, the award recipient receives a cash award and commemorative certificate.
Revised April 2003, revised January 2011, revised June 2012.
Membership & Charge | Award
Guidelines | Award Recipients | Current Committee
Distinguished Librarian Award Committee Membership and Charge
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Membership of the Distinguished Librarian Award Committee
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The Distinguished Librarian Award Committee is:
- Appointed by the LAUC-B Chair, in consultation with the LAUC-B Executive Committee;
- Chaired by the LAUC-B Past Chair or other designated LAUC-B member;
- Comprised of the Chair and a minimum of four members, one of whom may be a previous Distinguished Librarian Award recipient, with the following representation:
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- Representative from the Affiliated Libraries;
- Representative from The Library;
- Faculty representative appointed by the Academic Senate Library Committee;
- Representative at large.
Members serve for one year. Members may be reappointed.
The Distinguished Librarian Award Committee is charged by the LAUC-B Executive Committee to:
- Solicit nominations for the Distinguished Librarian Award: review nominations and select the Distinguished Librarian Award recipient(s);
- Publicize the Distinguished Librarian Award;
- Maintain confidential deliberations;
- Organize the Distinguished Librarian Award ceremony;
- Submit a proposed budget to the LAUC-B Executive Committee;
- Review the award criteria and procedures; submit proposed changes to the LAUC-B Executive Committee for approval;
- Update the Calendar for Distinguished Librarian Award Committee;
- Maintain a record of the Committee’s work;
- Maintain the Distinguished Librarian Award web site.
Membership & Charge | Award Guidelines | Award Recipients | Current Committee
Distinguished Librarian Award Committee Procedures
CHRONOLOGY
Note: The deadline for nominations is June 1, 2012; the deadline for final packets is September 15, 2012.
- Committee appointed by LAUC-B Executive Committee by January 31.
- Issue First Call for Nominations by February 1st, second call May 1st, or as needed.
- Final packets to be submitted to the committee by September15th.
- Allow time to schedule the reception well in advance of the final date; usually held in November or early December.
COMMITTEE
- Committee appointed by LAUC-B Executive Committee; announcement put into CU News.
- Faculty member appointed by the Chair of the Senate Library Committee. LAUC-B Chair sends a letter of appointment to the faculty representative, thanking the faculty
member for agreeing to serve. Make sure the timing of the service on the committee is carefully explained. After the award ceremony, a letter may go from the DLA Chair(s) to
the faculty member.
SOLICITATION OF NOMINEES
- Place announcements in the Berkeleyan and CU News, and send letters to Deans, Directors, and Department Chairs.
- Contact Library Representative for the Berkeleyan after checking the publishing schedule. Contact appropriate administrators in California Hall for the letter to
the Deans. - Faculty member on the DLA Committee should announce the Call for Nominations at a Senate Library Committee meeting as early as possible. Otherwise the Chair of the Library
Committee can make sure it is announced. - Make sure the deadline for the intent to nominate, as well as the final date for receipt of the full packets, is spelled out clearly.
- As much as possible, make sure that the nominators realize that they, and not the DLA Committee, are responsible for the entire packet. However, the committee may
subsequently request further information. Letters regarding the candidates should be sent to the nominator, not to the DLA Committee Chair. - Limit to 5 letters of support, in addition to the letter coming from the person doing the nomination.
- A CV is required.
ANNOUNCEMENT(S) OF THE RECIPIENT(S)
- After the decision is made, the committee chair informs the recipient(s), and sends letters to them and the nominators. The letter to the nominators should include a
note about the date of the ceremony, and a request that they speak. Letters also go to all nominees, as well as all nominators. - Announcement of the award should be placed in CU News and in the Berkeleyan. The initial announcement should include the date of the ceremony. A reminder is
sent out later, shortly before the actual date.
CEREMONY
- Near the date of the ceremony, place a reminder in CU News, and make sure that everyone on the library staff knows they are invited. A separate letter should be
sent to the nominators and any other speakers containing the specific details of the ceremony.- Check well in advance about the availability of the Morrison Library. Get instructions concerning the use of the room.
- The ceremony is traditionally held in November or December, in consultation with the award recipients and with Alex Warren.
- Plan for preparation before the ceremony, and arrange for clean-up afterwards.
- Solicit at least two estimates for the menu. [Note: the Library’s preferred vendor is Strada]
- Use the LAUC-B DLA Awards funding. The cost was broken down as follows:
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- Invitations:
- Food for 150 people:
- Beverages:
- Flowers:
- Certificate holders:
- Name tags:
- Taping:
Taping can be arranged by contacting the Berkeley Language Center in Dwinelle Hall. Tapes are sent to the award
recipient(s), another copy is prepared for the archives. - Ceremony arrangements:
- Arrange for a volunteer photographer; the photographs should be submitted to the LAUC-B web manager to be put on the website.
- Arrange, if possible, for background music in the Morrison while people gather.
- Determine who will make the opening remarks. It could be the LAUC-B Chair, the DLA Committee Chair, or the University Librarian.
- Arrange the order of the speakers. The Chancellor or the Executive Vice-Chancellor would be followed by the speakers on behalf of the award recipients.
- Decide how many speakers, depending on the number of recipients; give the speakers an idea of time allotted.
The invitation to the Chancellor go through an assistant; the invitation to the Executive Vice Chancellor goes to Cathleen Beemer (cbeemer@berkeley.edu) or his
administrative assistant. - Notes to the Chancellor should be sent in advance. Draft comments should include a copy of the announcement in CU News.
- Invitations should be sent to the members of the Senate Library Committee, the nominators, and to the invitees submitted by the award recipients.
- A separate e-mail invitation should be sent to the University Librarian. He/she can decide with the LAUC-B Chair about who will actually present the awards.
- Get the list of invitees as early as possible from the award recipients. The limit depends on the budget.
- Arrange for award checks with the Library Business Office. The LAUC-B Treasurer needs to approve all expenditures.
- Alcoholic beverages should be ordered separately from the food. An alcohol permit must be obtained from the UC Police at least two weeks in advance.
WEB PRESENCE
The DLA Committee should ask the LAUC-B web manager to place on the web the photos of the recipients and information from the press release.
PRINTING REQUESTS FROM LIBRARY GRAPHICS OFFICE
- Award certificate(s) (binders may be purchased at the bookstore)
- Invitations (limit the number requested and arrange for RSVPs; give the recipients a deadline for submitting names of invitees)
- Programs
INFORMATION FOR UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
Submit copies of the following items to the University Archvist for inclusion in the University Archives:
- Invitation
- Program
- Recipients
- Nominators
- Chancellor
- Copies of letters to:
- Tapes
- DLA Committee Membership & Charge
- DLA Guidelines
Revised January 2012
Membership & Charge | Committee Procedures | Award
Guidelines
Award Recipients | Current Committee
Distinguished Librarian Award Recipients
2012 Lillian Castillo-Speed and Marci Hoffman: Video
2010 Gary Handman and Barclay Ogden
2007 Waverly Lowell and Alice Youmans
2005 John Roberts and Daniel Krummes
2003 Bette Anton and Beth Weil
2001 Norma Kobzina
1999 Phyllis Bischof and Kathleen Vanden Heuvel
1997 William Roberts
1994 Ronald Heckart
1992 Camille Wanat
1991 Elizabeth Byrne and Thomas Reynolds
1990 Alison Howard and Milton Ternberg
Membership & Charge | Award Guidelines | Award Recipients | Current Committee
Distinguished Librarian Award Committee
Distinguished Librarian Award Committee
- Susan Koskinen (Chair)
- Bette Anton
- Myrtis Cochran
- John Shepard
- Dmitry Budker (faculty representative)
