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.

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.

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.

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.

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 will comprise 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

In 2023, the Awards will be presented at the September CAUL Council Meeting in Melbourne. 

Apply or Nominate a Peer

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 17 March 2023