CAUL Awards

Purpose of the Awards

The purpose of the annual CAUL Awards is to recognise, celebrate and promote outstanding achievement and innovation of staff working in CAUL Member institutions in Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand, from innovative teams to emerging leaders and mentors.

Categories of the Awards

Indigenous Leader Award

The Indigenous Leader Award aims to recognise the contribution that Indigenous Australians and New Zealanders make to academic libraries and the work of CAUL.

Criteria against which nominations will be assessed:

  • The nominee must be:
    • a member of an Australian or  Aotearoa/New Zealand Indigenous community; and
    • a member of staff within the University Library 
  • Evidence of leadership impact or advocacy in service provision, innovation or people leadership.

Award: $1500 monetary award to go towards a study program, learning opportunity or conference attendance.

Nominees:

  • Cheyanne Baker, Indigenous Cadet (Library), Flinders University
  • Sarah Groombridge, Lead, Indigenous Engagement, University of Newcastle
  • (Rangi)hurihia McDonald, Pou Ārahi, University of Waikato
  • Mia Strasek-Barker, Senior Manager, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Services & Collections, University of Queensland
  • Kim Tairi, Kaitoha Puka (University Librarian), Auckland University of Technology

Winner: Kim Tairi, Kaitoha Puka (University Librarian), Auckland University of Technology

Emerging Leader Award

The Emerging Leader Award is aimed at a professional staff member who is usually in the first ten years of their career and is role modelling strong leadership behaviours and can demonstrate success in goal orientation and achievement.

Criteria against which nominations will be assessed:

  • Evidence of innovation, initiative, or demonstration of leadership of people and/or projects; and/or
  • Evidence of service and contribution to the profession; and/or 
  • Evidence of research which advances academic library practice and/or academic communities advocacy of learning resources/library/programs and services.

Award: $1500 monetary award to go towards a study program, learning opportunity or conference attendance.

Nominees: 

  • Sara Altmann, Senior Librarian (Collection Strategy), Flinders University
  • Ashleigh Barber, Academic Librarian, University of South Australia
  • Emilia Bell, Coordinator (Evidence Based Practice), University of Southern Queensland
  • Kat Cain, Library Partner, Deakin University
  • Cassie Connor, Manager, Business Services, University of Newcastle
  • Miah de Francesch, Learning Success Advisor, Curtin University
  • Jessie Donaghey, Digital Services Librarian, Bond University
  • Felicity (Flic) French, Outreach Librarian, University of Queensland
  • Gabrielle Hayes, Liaison Librarian, Queensland University of Technology
  • Jessica Howie, Open Research Manager, University of Waikato
  • Amy Kosandiak, Acting Senior Librarian (Education Engagement), Flinders University
  • Emma Mckindley, Digital Content and Rights Officer, University of Southern Queensland

Winner: Kat Cain, Library Partner, Deakin University

Outstanding Library Team Award

The Outstanding Library Team Award seeks to recognise a library team and/or specific project group who have demonstrated excellent leadership in delivering significant service improvement, or cultural change aligned with organisational strategy/priorities.

Criteria against which nominations will be assessed:

  • Evidence of value and impact in 
    • the delivery of significant service improvement; and/or
    • leading positive organisational and/or cultural change brought about both to staff and clients
  • Evidence of collegial work – including supporting colleagues in the achievement of goals or outcomes
  • Evidence of sustainability and scalability.

Award: $3000 monetary award to go towards a study program, learning opportunity or conference attendance.

Nominees:

  • Your Library on Canvas Team, Auckland University of Technology: Mark Bassett, Learning Advisor; Emma Chapman, Digital Capability Specialist; Craig Wattam, Learning Advisor
  • Library Customer Service Team, Bond University: Tania Worthy, Team Leader - Library Customer Services; Sarah Reeder, Library Officer; Emily Hibberd, Library Officer; Sue Green, Library Officer; Amy Leong, Library Officer
  • State of Open Access in NZ Team, CONZUL: Current project team - Jessica Howie (Waikato), Richard White (Otago), Lyndell Holstein (Massey), Max Sullivan (Te Herenga Waka), Mandy Phipps-Green (Otago), Dene McDonald (Otago), Barbara Rainier (Massey), Donna Coventry (AUT). Previous members: Luqman Hayes (AUT), Moira Fraser (Canterbury), Bruce White (Massey), Deborah Fitchett (Lincoln), Emma Richardson (Auckland), Amanda Curnow (Massey), Anton Angelo (Canterbury)
  • Library Refurbishment Project Team, Curtin University: Colin Sinclair, Manager, Systems & Infrastructure; Chris Wright, Library Facilities Coordinator; Cindy Carbutt, Administrative Assistant
  • Experience Design Team, Deakin University: Danielle Johnson, Manager, Experience Design; Rachael Wilson, Experience Librarian; Sarah Fennelly, Visual Design Lead; Anna Edwards, UX Researcher; Matthew Lyons, Senior Officer, Digital Content; Michael Horn, Front-end & Application Developer; Jeshmine Bajracharya, Front-end & Application Developer; Christopher Callil, Visual Design Lead
  • Digital Library Strategy Team, Flinders University: Sita Austin, Senior Librarian (Digital Library Strategy); Sarah Barkla, Coordinator; Romana Challans, Senior Librarian; Peter Mason, Senior Librarian; Peter Newman, Senior Librarian; Tony Nicholson, Senior Librarian; Pixie Stardust, Senior Librarian
  • Digital Library Infrastructure Transformation Team, Griffith University: Catherine Hay, Senior Project Manager; Kelly Johnson, Manager, Scholarly Resource Services; Sandra Kalms, Librarian, Scholarly Resource Services; Helen Keyes, Librarian, Scholarly Resource Services; Neil Cotter, Librarian, Scholarly Resource Services; Belinda Nicolson-Guest, Senior Librarian (Resources); Paul Jensen, Librarian, Scholarly Resource Services; Anne Fleet, Librarian, Scholarly Resource Services; Ella Tang, Library Resource Officer, Scholarly Resource Services; Grace Fu, Librarian, Scholarly Resource Services; Catherine Hoey, Coordinator, Library Client Experience; Jessie Ristuccia-Best, Librarian (Client Experience); Michelle Postlethwaite, Library Campus Supervisor; Alexandra Cooney, Librarian (Client Experience); Rebecca Heath, Coordinator, Library Campus Experience; Craig Milne, Deputy University Librarian and Head of Scholarly Resource and Library Campus Services; Suzy Bailey, Coordinator, Digital Library; Catie Hodges, Senior Digital Library Analyst; Kysira Fairbairn, Senior Digital Library Analyst; Marie Carter, Digital Library Analyst; Lynette Reville, Digital Library Analyst; Sam Searle, Head of Digital Library Services; Alex Williams, Coordinator, Learning and Teaching Services; Leanne Stockwell, Discipline Librarian; Sara Bannon, Executive Support Officer; Donald Jeffrey, Coordinator Library Service Quality and Planning
  • Reading List & Resource Sharing Team – ‘Digital and Free’, La Trobe University: Elexia Rotundo, Coordinator, Reading Lists & Resource Sharing; Lexy Sierak, Reading Lists Liaison Librarian; Susan Jubber, Reading Lists Librarian; Jamie McDonald, Reading List Specialist; Sally Watt, Reading List Librarian; Fiona Lowe, Reading List Librarian; Linda Marchesani, Reading List Specialist; Karen O'Donoghue, Reading List Librarian
  • Information Access Team, Queensland University of Technology: Cathy Slaven, Information Access Coordinator; Kurt Vollmerhause, Information Access Librarian; Jai Parker, Information Access Librarian
  • Transition and Leadership Teams, University of Queensland: Loretta Atkinson, Senior Manager, Faculty Services; Lucy Behm, Senior Manager, Faculty Services; Maria Larkin, Outreach Librarian; Rachael Harrison, Acting Senior Manager, Faculty Services; Felicity Berends, Outreach Librarian; Thomas Palmer, Senior Manager, Digital Learning; Jane Moore, Outreach Librarian; Tracey Powell, Librarian, Research Outputs; Michael Whiteway, Research Librarian, State Library of Queensland (formerly UQ); Jackie Devenish, Project Officer, Queensland Health (formerly UQ)
  • University of Sydney Library’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Protocols Team, University of Sydney: Antonia Mocatta, Director Central Services; Lisa McIntosh, Director Access Services; Nathan Sentance, Head of Collections First Nations, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences; Sarah Graham, Associate Director Publishing and Data Services; Amy Allenspach, Associate Director Quality, Innovation and Planning; Elizabeth Litting, Associate Director Research Services Development; Ryan Stoker, Digital Collections Librarian; Pippa Herden, Indigenous Engagement Officer; Paul O’Brien, Project Manager; Chingmy Lam, Manager Metadata Services; Mark Sanfilippo, Learning Spaces Officer; Curtis Flood, Events and Engagement Assistant; Caitlin Erbacher, Project Team Assistant; Kim Williams, Digital Curation Specialist; Christine Tennent, Academic Liaison Librarian; Gabrielle Russell, Assistant Director and Education Lead, National Centre for Cultural Competence; 
    Simone Solar, Project Manager, Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy and Services)

Winner: University of Sydney Library’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Protocols Team

Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Service Award seeks to recognise an individual who has made an outstanding local, regional, or national contribution to academic libraries or the profession and whose contribution has had beneficial impact within the CAUL community. 

Criteria against which nominations will be assessed:

  • Evidence of a significant contribution to CAUL; and/or
  • Evidence of the nominee has progressed the profile of CAUL and/or professional issues; and/or
  • Evidence the nominee has significantly advanced CAUL’s strategic themes and/or led community practice; and/or
  • Evidence that the nominee is esteemed as an influential senior leader and mentor; and/or
  • Evidence that the nominee has made strategic contribution at a national or international level; and/or
  • Evidence that the nominee has demonstrated significant innovation and achievement at the local, regional or national level.

The award will be made to a nominee who has met one or more of the above criteria.

Award: Non-monetary award. Awardee will be listed on a virtual honour roll and receive a plaque or pin.

Nominees:

  • Bob Gerrity, University Librarian, Monash University
  • Margie Jantti, Director Library Services, University of Wollongong
  • Tahnee Pearse, formerly Associate Director, Content, University of Southern Queensland

Winner: Bob Gerrity, University Librarian, Monash University

Nominations

Nominations may be self or peer nominations.

All nominations must include:

  • A description of how the individual or team/group demonstrates leadership in relation to the criteria (maximum 700 words)
  • A testimonial from a supervisor, peer or colleague that supports the nomination
  • An endorsement from the relevant University Librarian or equivalent. Not required for nominations for awards to be made to University Librarians.

Judging of the Awards

The adjudication panel comprised the following:

  • One Board Member
  • A National Office representative
  • Two Council Members (UL or equivalent)
  • A non-CAUL representative (e.g. ALIA, CAUDIT, UA).

Presentation of the Awards

The 2023 Awards were presented at the September CAUL Council Meeting in Melbourne. 

Apply or Nominate a Peer

Submissions are now closed.

The 2023 Awards are open for submissions from Friday 17 March until Friday 12 May.

Nominate via the online form.

Author Larissa Denham
Last modified 19 September 2023