AWARDS COMMITTEE

PURPOSE

􀂃 To solicit and receive nominations and select recipients for the annual Service Awards

and for author awards for Children’s’ Author/Illustrator, Young Adult and Adult Author

awards.

COMMON ISSUES AND GOALS

􀂃 To recognize members of the organization, individuals, groups, or organizations for their

support of library issues and their efforts on behalf of AzLA.

LEADERSHIP

􀂃 The AZLA President appoints chair of the Awards Committee.

􀂃 The three subcommittee chairs:

o Children’s Author/Illustrator Committee,

o Young Adult Author Committee, and

o Adult Author Committee are appointed by the AzLA President.

􀂃 Terms of committee chair and sub-committee chairs are one year with the option to

reappoint for an additional year.

􀂃 The sub-committee chairs select committee members. Terms of committee members are

one year and no more than two may be reappointed for one additional year.

o Sub-committees shall consist of no fewer than 5 and no more than 7 members,

including the chair.

o It is recommended that the awards and adult author subcommittees represent a

variety of geographic locations and types of libraries.

o It is recommended that members of the Children’s Author/Illustrator and Young

Adult Author subcommittees be selected from appropriate service groups — i.e.

youth services and young adult services librarians and that they represent

librarians in variety of geographic locations.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Awards Committee Chairs

􀂃 Attend all meetings of the Conference Committee.

􀂃 Communicate with subcommittee chairs.

􀂃 Insure duties listed below are carried out.

Author/Service Subcommittee Chair

Author Awards -

􀂃 Solicit nominations (AzLA Newsletter, ASLAPR listserv).

􀂃 Evaluate nominations.

􀂃 Select winner in each category.

􀂃 Notify winners in writing (copies to Awards Chair, Conference Program Chair, AZLA President, AzLA Webmaster, Management Company for plaques).

􀂃 Send biographical or publicity materials to webmaster

􀂃 Write article for AzLA newsletter

􀂃 Present awards at luncheon (AZLA President)

Service Awards

􀂃 Confirm sponsorship of awards

􀂃 Solicit nominations (AzLA Newsletter, ASLAPR listserv)

􀂃 Evaluate nominations and select award recipient.

􀂃 Write presentation material for banquet describing qualifications of the recipient for use at banquet or luncheon.

􀂃 Present awards at banquet (AzLA President)

􀂃 Present recipients and nominations with folder of nomination/support letters

Award Committee Chairs

􀂃 Service Awards Subcommittee Chair

􀂃 Arizona Young Readers Award Sub-committee Chair Sponsored by Judy Goddard

Libraries Limited

􀂃 Arizona Children’s Author/Illustrator Award Sub-committee Chair Sponsored by Judy

Goddard Libraries Limited

Service Awards

􀂃 Library Leadership Award This award is presented to an active or retired library administrator or manager (as defined by their institution and may include director, adult services supervisor or similar position) with an MLS who is an AzLA member. Criteria

include significant accomplishments and leadership over the past three years in Arizona in several of the following areas:

o Promoting libraries/library service in Arizona

o Legislative activity and support

o Mentoring-own institution, statewide, or regionally

o Staff development- own institution, statewide, or regionally

o Professional publications

o Contributions to the future of the profession

o Raising the profile of the profession

o Raising the profile of the library-own institution or libraries in Arizona

o Significant participation in a special project relating to libraries or library service

Explanation: this award differs from the Rosenzweig Distinguished Service Award in the length of service being considered and the area of effectiveness; i.e., it could be limited to own institution rather than to the region.

􀂃 Rosenzweig Distinguished Service Award This award is presented to an active or retired layperson or librarian who is a member of AzLA. Emphasis is placed on effectiveness regionally or statewide, rather than limited to the institution where the individual worked. Criteria include significant accomplishments and leadership over the past ten years in Arizona in several of the following areas:

o Promotion of libraries and library services in Arizona

o Active support of AzLA

o Legislative activity and support

o Mentoring

o Staff development

o Professional publications

o Contributions to the future of librarianship and information science as a profession

o Raising the profile of work in libraries

o Raising the profile of the library in Arizona

o Significant participation in a special project relating to libraries or library service

Explanation: This award differs from the Library Leadership Award in the length of time the individual served the Arizona library community, the effect of the accomplishments throughout the state, and because the individual is not required to have an MLS.

􀂃 Outstanding Library Service Award This award is presented to an individual currently working in libraries, with or without an MLS, who has professional responsibilities to the end user in such service areas as reference, programming, cataloging, bibliographic or database instruction, collection development, or a combination of these and other professional responsibilities. Service during the past 1-3 years should be considered. Emphasis will be placed on enhanced service, beyond the standard requirements of good library service. Criteria include one or several of the following:

o Service or project effectiveness beyond own institution

o Potential impact or benefit to other libraries

o Benefit to local community

o Accomplishment as potential model for other libraries of similar size

o Nominee’s investment of personal time

o Limitation of resources (staff, time, funds)

Explanation: The award is intended to give equal opportunity to people who provide service directly to patrons or who may have limited resources or clerical assistance. The MLS requirement was deliberately dropped to give workers who give professional service an

opportunity to compete for this award. As youth services/young adult librarians and school librarians have separate awards, this award is intended for those who serve primarily adults or college age students, or where youth services are not separated from adult services.

􀂃 Sharon G. Womack Outstanding Library Technician Award This award is given to an individual who has served as a mode! of the important role that the paraprofessional plays in providing quality library service and who has exemplified the integral part that the paraprofessional performs as a library staff member. Nominees will be judged on the basis of;

o Demonstrated on-the-job excellence, as noted by their supervisors

o Support and enhancement the services of the library where they work

o Evidence of interest in continuing education and other learning opportunities

o Service to AzLA and other library organizations

o Participation in other noteworthy community activities will also be considered.

Nominees must be a member of AzLA for one year prior to their nomination. The winner will receive a free membership in AzLA for the year following the Award.

􀂃 Outreach Services Award Little Chapel of All Nations, Tucson, provides a monetary award to the library, librarian, or library related group or person that provides exemplary library outreach services to un-served or minority populations. Membership in AZLA is not required.

􀂃 Outstanding Decision Maker Award This award is given to an Arizona decision-maker exhibiting significant support for librarians. This person is an administrator (city, county, academic, school) or elected/appointed official (City Council, Board of Regents, Board of

Supervisors, School Board) who has made a difference for libraries. This person’s demonstrated support may be a critical issue (intellectual freedom, fiscal advocacy, development or a new program, etc.) or continuous support over a period of time.

􀂃 AzLA/ProQuest SIRS Intellectual Freedom Award ProQuest SIRS sponsors a cash award for the purchase of library materials. It is given to an individual or library for actively promoting intellectual freedom in Arizona.

􀂃 Rising Moon Outstanding Youth Services Librarian Award The Rising Moon Outstanding Youth Services Librarian Award is given to an individual who serves as a model for the important role Youth Services plays in public libraries. This award is sponsored by Northland Publishing Inc. under their Rising Moon imprint and provides a $400 cash award to be used to purchase books for the youth collection(s) of the winner’s library. Nominees may be Children’s, Young Adult, or Youth Services librarians, or other librarians who serve youth in those capacities, in any Arizona public library. Nominees must demonstrate notable and outstanding performance in producing, developing and promoting programs, services, collections, and reading activities for children and/or teenagers in their libraries and communities. Nominees must have two years of continuous membership in AzLA to be considered for this award.

􀂃 Follett School Librarian of the Year Award This award is given to an individual who serves as a model for implementing the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) National Standards. This award is sponsored by Follett School Library Resources, which provides a plaque for the winner. Nominees must be certified school library media specialists in Arizona who demonstrate notable or outstanding performance in the areas of collaboration with classroom teachers, educational leadership, technology, and advocacy for school libraries. Nominees must have two years of continuous membership in AzLA to be considered for this award.

􀂃 Outstanding Library Board Given to a Library Board or equivalent management group under whose guidance or support a library or group of libraries has been substantially improved. The Board’s policies, its success in promoting library service to its

constituency, its financial contribution, and its relationship to the community are taken into consideration.

􀂃 Library Support Staff Scholarship Award The Library Support Staff Scholarship Award is a monetary award of $500 given once annually for the purpose of supporting continuing education via community college, university, or national conference, to any non-M.L.S. degreed library staff member employed by any library within the State of Arizona. The recipient must currently be enrolled in a college or university program, submit official records showing a grade point average of3.0 or above, be actively pursuing an A.A.S degree in Library Technology or a B.A. or B.S. degree in any major with the goal of pursuing, upon graduation, a Masters Degree in Library Science or be actively pursuing a Masters Degree in Library Science, and a member of AzLA.

􀂃 The Emerging Leader Award, sponsored by Phoenix based Great Potential Press, is open to any person working in a library who shows exceptional promise as a leader in the field. The purpose ofthe award is to recognize individuals with strong leadership potential in order to encourage them to take on roles of increasing responsibility in library work. Membership in AZLA is not required. Criteria for the award include one or more ofthe following;

o creation of innovative programs or services,

o creating a positive vision, communicating it to others, and inspiring and guiding others to achieve it,

o making exceptional use of local, state, or national library resources including grants,

o actively participating in professional library organizations on a local, state or national level,

o showing a commitment and belief in the vitality, flexibility and future of library service,

o having two full years of full-time library service in Arizona prior to nomination and no more than five years work history.

o A cash award of $250, provided by Great Potential Press, and a one year membership to AzLA will be awarded to the selected nominee.

Book Awards

􀂃 Judy Goddard Libraries, Ltd. Awards The Judy Goddard/Libraries, Ltd. Awards are given for two types of writing, one for children up to twelve years, the second for young adults, twelve to nineteen years. Libraries, Ltd, Inc. provides Phoenix support for the Awards.

MEMBERSHIP

o Subcommittee chairperson, named by the AzLA President, shall be an ex-officio member of the Awards Committee. The subcommittee shall have two panels to accommodate the different focus of each award.

CHAIRPERSON

o Shall serve for two years, appointment to begin in odd numbered years. Members serve two-year terms that shall be staggered to provide continuity. Members may be reappointed once.

Young Adult Author Award

o There shall be five persons comprising this subgroup, one member nominated by the Teacher Librarian Division and Libraries, Ltd., two persons nominated by the Arizona Librarians for Young Adult Services Interest Group, and the subcommittee at its first meeting will select one additional member at large who may be a member of AzLA and/or a member of Libraries, Ltd.

Children’s Author/Illustrator Award

o There shall be five persons comprising this panel, one member nominated by the Teacher Librarian Division and Libraries, Ltd. two persons nominated by the KIDS Interest Group, and the subcommittee at its first meeting will select one additional member at large who may be a member of AzLA and/or a member of Libraries, Ltd.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

o To function as subgroups under direction of the chair.

o To present a program proposal to the annual Conference Program Chair that highlights the award winners.

o The award(s) shall be presented only in those years when, in the wisdom of the committee, there is a qualified recipient.

o The recipient shall be determined in sufficient time to meet the schedule issued by the Awards Committee.

CRITERIA

o The nominees for the Children and Youth/Illustrator Award shall:

􀂃 Be a living writer, preferably one who lives in the state itself or has lived in the state or the immediately surrounding region, or met the requirements until his/her recent death.

􀂃 Feature or be closely identified with Arizona and the surrounding region. In the case of the Children’s Author/Illustrator Award, the book is intended primarily for children up to twelve years.

􀂃 In the case of the Young Adult Author Award, the book is intended primarily for young adults twelve to nineteen years.

􀂃 Arizona Young Readers Award The purpose of the Arizona Young Readers’ Award is to stimulate the interest of young readers in outstanding literature written primarily for them.

MEMBERSHIP

o The subcommittee Chairperson or Chairpersons, named by the AzLA President upon the advice of the TLD Board, shall be ex-officio member(s) of the Awards Committee.

DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE

o Collect all nominations sent in by young readers, teachers and librarians throughout the state.

o Review all titles receiving nominations in each category and verify that they meet the criteria for nomination.

o Create and distribute ballots to all Elementary schools in Arizona so the children can vote on their favorite book.

o Count the votes in each category to determine a winner.

o Announce the winner in each category and, at the same time, present the list of the nominated books for next year.

o Present the award to the winning author in each category at the AzLA Annual Conference.

CRITERIA FOR NOMINATION

o To be eligible for nomination, a book must:

􀂃 Be a title most often read or requested by children.

􀂃 Have a strong appeal to the age group for which the nomination is made.

􀂃 Have been published in English within the previous five years and still in print.

o Nominations for books for the next year are due when votes for current nominations are submitted and must be received by November 1st. Ten (10) books are nominated for each of the three categories: Picture books, Chapter books and Middle School/Young Adult. Books are read and voted upon by the state’s children during the period from announcement through the voting deadline.Students may read and vote for books in more than one category. Children must read (or have read to them) at least 5 of the nominated books in the Picture book and Chapter book category and at least 3 of the books in the Middle School/Young Adult category.

o Qualified voters are allowed one vote each in a category. A responsible adult in a

classroom or library setting must monitor voting. This adult will tabulate the votes

for their classroom/library/school and submit one ballot to the committee by

March 15.