91´«Ã½

CHICAGO — Nominate yourself, colleagues, or your library for the 2024 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) Recognition Awards and Grants. Unless otherwise noted, the deadlines are February 1, 2024.

For general information about these and other 91´«Ã½ awards, visit

Beta Phi Mu Award is presented to a faculty member of a library school or an individual for distinguished service to education in librarianship. The award includes $1,000 and a gold-framed citation donated by Beta Phi Mu International Library Science Honorary Society.



W. Y. Boyd Literary Award is given to an author of a military novel that honors the service of American veterans during a time of war: 1861-1865, 1914-1918 or 1939-1945. The award includes $5,000 and a gold-framed citation, donated by William Young Boyd. The deadline is Dec 31, 2023

91´«Ã½ Medal of Excellence (Formerly Melvil Dewey Award) honors an individual or group for a recent creative professional achievement in library management, training, cataloging and classification, or the tools and techniques of librarianship. The award includes $2,000, a medal and a gold-framed citation, donated OCLC/Forest Press, Inc.

Equality Award honors an individual or group for an outstanding contribution that promotes equality in the library profession. The award includes $1,000 and a gold-framed citation donated by Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group.

Paul Howard Award for Courage honors a librarian, library board, library group or an individual who has exhibited unusual courage for the benefit of library programs or services. The award, given every two years, includes $1,000 and a gold-framed citation, donated by Paul Howard. Bi-annual award application deadline is February 1, 2025.

Ernest A. DiMattia, Jr. Award for Innovation and Service to Community and Profession – An annual award for innovation, and service to community and profession. The award includes $5,000 and a gold-framed citation donated by the family of Ernest A. DiMattia, Jr.

Ken Haycock Award for Promoting Librarianship honors an individual for contributing significantly to the public recognition and appreciation of librarianship through professional performance, teaching and/or writing. The award includes $1,000 and a gold-framed citation, donated by Ken Haycock, PhD.

91´«Ã½ Information Today Library of the Future Award honors a library, library consortium, group of librarians or support organization for their innovative planning for, applications of or development of patron training programs about information technology in a library setting. The award includes $1,200 and a gold-framed citation, donated by Information Today, Inc.

Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced with Adversity honors a librarian who has faced adversity with dignity and integrity intact. The award includes $10,000 and an odd symbolic object from Lemony Snicket’s private stash. The nominee must be a librarian. Donor: Daniel Handler a.k.a. Lemony Snicket.

Joseph W. Lippincott Award is given to a librarian for distinguished service to the profession. To qualify, the librarian must display outstanding participation in professional library activities, notable published professional writing or other significant activities on behalf of the profession. The award includes $1,000 and a gold-framed citation, donated by Joseph W. Lippincott, III.

Scholastic Library Publishing Award (formerly Grolier) honors a librarian whose “unusual contribution” to the stimulation and guidance of children’s and young adult reading exemplifies outstanding achievement in the profession. The award includes $1,000 and a gold-framed citation, donated by Scholastic Library Publishing.

Sullivan Award for Public Library Administrators Supporting Services to Children honors an individual who has shown exceptional understanding and support of library service to children while having general management/supervisory/ administrative responsibility that has included public library service to children in its scope. The recipient will receive a plaque and recognition artifact. The donor is Peggy Sullivan.

EBSCO Information Services Library Staff Development Award (Formerly H.W. Wilson Library Staff Development Grant) is awarded to a library organization for a program to further its staff development goals and objectives. The award includes $3,500 and a gold-framed citation, donated by EBSCO Publishing.