Chapter 33 - Intellectual Freedom Award Procedures

33.01 ARTICLE I PURPOSE & ELIGIBILITY

33.011 The purpose of the award is to recognize truly outstanding effort in promoting the principles of intellectual freedom.

33.012 The award shall be given annually.  Nominations are encouraged, but it is possible that some years no award will be given.  The recipient will receive a certificate or plaque suitable for display.  It shall be presented by a member of the Intellectual Freedom Committee at the annual conference during the Division's membership meeting or during a meeting of the general membership.

33.013 Nominations are limited to individuals or institutions whose efforts benefited Oregon, or who were residents of Oregon at the time when they promoted intellectual freedom in an outstanding way.  Persons who have won the award during the past five (5) years are ineligible.  Current voting members of the OLA Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) are ineligible.  Nominations may be made for activities ongoing or completed in the previous five years.  Nominees do not have to be OLA members.

33.02 ARTICLE II NOMINATION PROCESS

33.021 Nominations for the award shall be solicited from OLA's membership and the OLA lobbyist, and pbulicized through available communication channels used within the organization.  Group nominations, self nominations and anonymous nominations will be accepted.  All nominations are confidential.

33.022 Nominations will be accepted through a nomination form.  The form will be available by request from the Intellectual Freedom Committee and will also be available on the IFC webpage.

One copy of the completed nomination form and support materials shall be submitted to the IFC by two (2) months prior to the annual meeting.

All nominations will be verified by a member of the Intellectual Freedom Committee appointed by the IFC Chair.

33.023 The current members of the Intellectual Freedom Committee or a subcommittee appointed for the task will be responsible for selecting a winner.  In the event of an impasse, the ex-officio members of the IFC will serve to break the tie vote.

33.024 The IFC will review, score and rank all entries.  The highest ranking entry will be the winner.

The judging criteria areas are:  developed an innovative information program relating to intellectual freedom issues; upheld intellectual freedom principles in the face of challenge; actively promoted intellectual freedom principles in his/her sphere; exemplified the spirit of intellectual freedom.

33.025 The Intellectual Freedom Committee Chairperson or a member of the Committee shall present the name of the nominee(s), with justification for the award, to the OLA Executive Board for approval four (4) weeks prior to the annual membership meeting.  The winnter will be contacted and the OLA president notified following Board approval.

33.03 ARTICLE III PUBLICITY AND RECORD-KEEPING

33.031 Announcements of the award recipient(s) shall be publicized in the appropriate statewide, regional and national library news media, and in local media.

33.032 The Honors, Awards and Scholarships Committee shall keep a cumulative list of award recipients with the year in which the award was given.

Last amended June 4, 2010