Academic Library Services to Graduate Students Interest Group

The University Libraries Section Outstanding Professional Development Award committee is pleased to announce that they are accepting nominations.

Nominations due: Friday, December 5, 2025

See details and submit nominations: 

ULS Outstanding Professional Development Award | Association of College and Research Libraries 

The award recognizes library, archives, or museum workers whose contributions to providing professional development opportunities for academic libraries have been especially noteworthy or influential. The effect of these contributions may be the result of continuous or distinguished service to the profession, but may also be the result of extraordinarily active, innovative, or collaborative work that deserves national recognition.

Nominees must have demonstrated at least two of the following criteria:

• Implementing innovative or creative professional development ideas or activities that have measurably impacted academic library users and/or the profession.

• Active participation in special projects, efforts or initiatives related to providing professional development opportunities that have measurably impacted academic library users and/or the profession.

• Evidence of service and/or collaboration over time related to providing professional development activities that clearly benefited a number of academic library workers and library users.

• Exemplary and influential research and/or scholarship pertaining to professional development for academic librarians, archivists, and/or curators.

Submissions through the online portal are required. Self nominations are accepted. Nominations should include:

• A full and clear description in two (2) pages or less of the nominee(s)' work as it pertains to the development and provision of high quality continuing education opportunities for academic libraries.

• One (1) letter of support from a beneficiary (may be a library, archives, or museum professional or user) of the professional development opportunities detailing how the professional development has benefited academic libraries.

• If applicable, a list of publications or research conducted by the candidate(s), with an explanation of how the research pertains to providing high quality professional development activities.

Submissions will be reviewed using this rubric. Please contact the University Libraries Section Awards Committee Chair, Mou Chakraborty, mxchakraborty@salisbury.edu, with any questions.