Category: Awards and Scholarships

LITA and OCLC invite nominations for the 2020 Frederick G. Kilgour Award for Research in Library and Information Technology. Submit your nomination no later than December 31, 2019. The Kilgour Research Award recognizes research relevant to the development of information technologies, in particular research showing promise of having a positive and substantive impact on any aspect of the publication, storage, retrieval, and dissemination of information or how information and data are manipulated and managed. The winner receives $2,000 cash, an award citation, and an expense-paid trip (airfare and two nights lodging) to the 2020 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, IL. Nominations will be accepted from any member of the American Library Association. Nominating letters must address how the research is relevant to libraries; is creative in its design or methodology; builds on existing research or enhances potential for future exploration; and/or solves an important current problem in the delivery of…

Sharon Han has been selected as the winner of the 2019 Student Writing Award sponsored by Ex Libris Group and LITA for her paper titled “Weathering the Twitter Storm: Early Uses of Social Media as a Disaster Response Tool for Public Libraries During Hurricane Sandy.” Han is a Master of Science in Library and Information Science candidate at the University of Illinois School of Information Sciences. “Sharon Han’s paper is an excellent case study of the nascency of social media that also offers pragmatic guidance for libraries responding to community needs in times of crisis. Her substantial dataset, well-developed taxonomy, and the systematic coding and analysis resulted in interesting research findings as well as fertile grounds for further research on social media as an extension of library services,” said Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, the Chair of this year’s selection committee. When notified she had won, Han remarked, “I am honored to receive…

The North Carolina State University Libraries has been selected to receive the 2019 LITA/Library Hi Tech Award for Outstanding Communication in Library and Information Technology. Sponsored by Emerald Publishing and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), the Award recognizes outstanding individuals or institutions for their long-term contributions to the education of the Library and Information Science technology field. “The Award Committee selected NC State University because of its work through the Data Science and Visualization Institute for Librarians (DSVIL) to increase the pool of data science-savvy people working in libraries,“ said Chair Tod A. Olson. Since 2015, the annual week-long event has hosted 119 participants, and covered topics such as data exploration, statistical analysis, bibliometric analysis, data visualization, data description, sharing, and reuse, data cleaning and preparation, version control with git and github, analyzing textual data, and mapping and geospatial visualization. Olson went on to commend the team at…

Charles McClure has been selected as the recipient of the 2019 Frederick G. Kilgour Award for Research in Library and Information Technology, sponsored by OCLC and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA). He is the Francis Eppes Professor of Information Studies in the School of Information at Florida State University and the Director of the Information Use Management and Policy Institute at FSU. Previously he was a Distinguished Professor at the iSchool at Syracuse University and Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma. The Kilgour Award honors research relevant to the development of information technologies, especially work which shows promise of having a positive and substantive impact on any aspect(s) of the publication, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information, or the processes by which information and data are manipulated and managed. It recognizes a body of work probably spanning years, if not the majority of a career. The winner…

LITA and Baker & Taylor are accepting applications for the LITA/Christian (Chris) Larew Memorial Scholarship for those who plan to follow a career in library and information technology, demonstrate potential leadership, and hold a strong commitment to library automation. The winner will receive a $3,000 check and a citation. The application form is open through March 1, 2019. Criteria for the Scholarship includes previous academic excellence, evidence of leadership potential, and a commitment to a career in library automation and information technology. Candidates should illustrate their qualifications for the scholarship with a statement indicating the nature of their library experience, letters of reference and a personal statement of the applicant’s view of what they can bring to the profession. Winners must have been accepted to a Master of Library Science (MLS) program recognized by the American Library Association. References, transcripts, and other documents must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2019,…

LITA is pleased to offer an award for the best unpublished manuscript submitted by a student or students enrolled in an ALA-accredited graduate program. Sponsored by LITA and Ex Libris, the award consists of $1,000, publication in LITA’s refereed journal, Information Technology and Libraries (ITAL), and a certificate. The deadline for submission of the manuscript is February 28, 2019. The award recognizes superior student writing and is intended to enhance the professional development of students. The manuscript can be written on any aspect of libraries and information technology. Examples include, but are not limited to, digital libraries, metadata, authorization and authentication, electronic journals and electronic publishing, open source software, distributed systems and networks, computer security, intellectual property rights, technical standards, desktop applications, online catalogs and bibliographic systems, universal access to technology, and library consortia. To be eligible, applicants must follow these guidelines and fill out the application form (PDF). Send the signed, completed forms electronically no later than February 28, 2019,…