Chapter 32 - Achievement Award Procedures

32.01 ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

32.011 There shall be five achievement awards presented by the Association: Oregon Librarian of the Year, Oregon Library Employee of the Year, Oregon Library Supporter of the Year, Oregon Library Association Distinguished Service Award and OLA EDI Anti-Racism Recognition Award..

The Honors, Awards, and Scholarship Committee will publicize and seek nominations in advance of the annual conference. Nominators must come from individuals, rather than OLA Divisions. Nominators must submit a nominating letter, and provide up to six letters of support. A Nomination Form will be posted on the associations' web site. The committee's recommendations on award recipients must be approved by the Executive Board in advance of the conference.

32.02 GUIDELINES FOR ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

32.021 Oregon Librarian of the Year may be awarded to any Oregon librarian who has been working in Oregon as a library professional for at least two years.  The nominee must demonstrate excellence in library service in his or her community and to Oregon libraries.  The nominee must be a member of the association.

32.022 Oregon Library Employee of the Year may be awarded to any Oregon library staff member who has worked in an Oregon Library for at least two years as a paid staff member and demonstrated excellence in library service in his or her community.

32.023 Oregon Library Supporter of the Year may be awarded to any volunteer, volunteer group, library Friend, board member, government official, or other individual who is not a paid library staff member, and who has demonstrated excellence in supporting and promoting Oregon libraries.

32.024 Oregon Library Association Distinguished Service Award may be awarded to any Oregon Librarian or library staff member, who has been in the profession for 15 years or more years, has worked in Oregon as a library professional for at least ten years, and is currently a member of OLA, for exceptional service over a period of years.

32.025 OLA EDI Anti-Racism Recognition Award may be awarded to any Oregon Library or library employee with an outstanding commitment to anti-racism. Nominee must show a proven track record of creating antiracist change in their library or library system in  at least in one of the areas below

• Contribute to the success of an initiative that empowers oppressed minorities and disadvantaged individuals. 

• Help destroying systematic/structural racism in their library or library systems.

• Inspire and encourage Anti-Racism culture at their libraries, presenting, implementing or revamping EDI processes, procedures, terms, conditions and code of conduct to better reflect anti-racism principles.

• Advocate, participate in outreach and community work dedicated to oppressed minorities and disadvantaged individuals.

• Creates a pipeline for BIPOC to become library staff.

32.026 These awards should not be conferred simply as a reward for passive committee or organizational activity. They recognize instead service above the ordinary. Normally, the individuals should have made a contribution to Oregon libraries of more than local or limited achievement. Under extraordinary circumstances, however, the awards may be presented to individuals who have made outstanding national contributions in the interest of libraries and who are known as Oregonians.

32.027 The Oregon Librarian of the Year, Oregon Library Employee of the Year, and the Oregon Library Association Distinguished Service awards should recognize an individual contribution rather than an individual representing the accomplishments of many.

32.028 Only living persons may be considered for the awards

32.029 The awards are not necessarily given each year, but more than one such honor may be awarded in any given year. Awards shall be presented at the Association's annual conference.

32.030 The HAS Chairperson will keep a cumulative list of award recipients with the year in which the awards were presented. The HAS Chairperson will submit the names of the awards recipients to the Association's webmaster, for posting to the Association website.

32.031 The recipient will be presented with a certificate proclaiming the honor. The HAS Committee will retain a sample copy of the certificate to be modified and copied as needed. The HAS Committee shall also send media releases to Oregon newspapers, as well as letters to the recipients' supervisor(s), board, and/or governing entity, notifying them of the honor.

Last amended February 5, 2021