Procedures and Rules

XII. AWARDS AND HONORS COMMITTEE

A. Function:

The Awards and Honors Committee administers all special recognition programs developed by the Network, including Honorary Membership, establishing subcommittees as needed to administer specific awards and honors.

B. Preferred Qualifications:

The President-Elect will Chair this Committee. Every effort should be made to appoint past award winners to the Committee. In all other respects membership in this Committee complies with Article XI. Part B. Composition and Organization of Committees.

C. Duties and Responsibilities:

To develop and interpret criteria for Honorary Membership in the Network, for a Service to the Profession Award, and for two Conference Scholarships and a Student Conference Scholarship given out biennially. To publicize the availability of the designation, receive written nominations and supporting documentation for proposed candidates, and to recommend individuals to the Council for this honor;
To judge applications and select winners, either as the full Committee or through appropriate subcommittees, according to criteria established for specific awards, following these guidelines:
1. Prepare announcement for distribution on USAIN-L, the USAIN web site, Conference programs, and other appropriate outlets. Announcements for awards and honors should include purpose, eligibility requirements, deadline date, name and address of the appropriate Chair, and other pertinent information.
2. Process entries to ensure equitable treatment of all candidates for award(s)
  1. Chair codes entries to permit blind judging when appropriate. In these cases, committee members receive copies of coded essays only.
  2. Each committee member rates all applications on the basis of quality and adherence to award guidelines and provides ratings to the Chair.
  3. Chair compiles all ratings and selects award winners, then notifies winner(s), requesting acceptance of award(s) in writing. The Chair also notifies the President and the Secretary/Treasurer of all winners.
  4. Chair prepares a report to the President on committee activities to include, but not limited to: how awards were publicized, number of submissions received, any disqualifications, names of awardees, and future plans/goals/suggestions from the Committee or subcommittees.

To notify the President and the Secretary/Treasurer when awards will not be made because there are no suitable entries.

D. Procedures for Awards:

Conference Scholarships, including the Conference Scholarship for Students
1. The Awards Committee will prepare a Scholarship Award Announcement to appear on USAIN-l, the USAIN Web site, the conference pre-announcement, and in other sources.
2. The submission deadline in the announcement will be approximately four and a half months prior to the conference.
3. The Committee will make its selection and notify the Executive Council of their choice prior to notifying the recipients by approximately three and a half months prior to the conference.
4. The Chair of the Awards Committee will notify the scholarship recipients approximately two and a half months prior to the conference.
Service to the Profession Award
1. Criteria Individuals nominated must meet one or more of the following criteria:
  - demonstrated leadership in advancing the field of agricultural information
  - established new directions or visions for the field of agricultural information
  - contributed to the development, application or utilization of new or improved methods or techniques in the organization or delivery of agricultural information
  - conducted significant studies/research in agricultural information
2. Procedures
  1. Prepare a draft of the Call for Nominations approximately 8 months preceding the conference and submit the draft to the Executive Council for review/approval.
  2. Post the approved Call for Nominations to USAIN-l, the USAIN website, and other professional publications, etc. approximately seven months prior to the conference. Notices of the award nomination should also appear in the conference pre-program.
  3. Deadline for submission of applications in the Call for Nominations will be approximately five months prior to the conference.
  4. The Awards Committee is to make its recommendation to the Executive Council approximately three and a half months prior to the conference.
  5. Approximately two and a half months prior to the conference, the President will contact the award winner(s) and obtain their agreement to appear at the conference.
  6. Chair of the Awards Committee will work with the Conference Program Committee on arrangements for a formal presentation of the award(s). This may be at a separate ceremony, a banquet, luncheon, or some other function at the conference that will be attended by the majority of attendees.
Honorary Membership Award
1. Criteria
  An Honorary Member shall be an individual who is not a member of the Network, but who has been either an outstanding individual in the field of agricultural information or who has provided outstanding service or support to the Network. Honorary Member award recipients will be given a life membership in the Network, but are unable to hold offices in USAIN unless they maintain a paid membership. Awards may be given to persons outside the field of agricultural information. Criteria for nominees might include:
  - leadership in advancing the field of agricultural information from outside the profession
  - outstanding support of Network activities and directions
2. Procedures
  1. Prepare a draft of the Call for Nominations for distribution approximately seven months prior to the conference.
  2. Post the approved Call for Nominations to USAIN-l, the USAIN Web site, and other professional publications as appropriate, six months prior to the conference.
  3. Call for nominations will be six months prior to the conference.
  4. The Awards Committee will present applications received to the Executive Council for consideration three and a half months prior to the conference.
  5. The combined Executive Committee and Awards Committee will vote on each nomination. If selected, the honoree will be contacted by the President four months prior to the conference and the award made. The Awards Committee will work with the Conference Program Committee on arrangements for a formal presentation of the award(s) at the next conference.
  6. The Awards Committee will prepare a press release about the honoree and distribute it widely.

CONFERENCE AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT

To assist in defraying the cost of attending the conference, USAIN is offering two (2) awards to library school graduates who are USAIN members new to the field of agricultural information (less than three years) or a first time USAIN Conference attendee. USAIN also offers an award to a graduate student in library/information science. The Awards consist of a $750 travel stipend for each awardee.

To apply:

For persons new to the profession: provide a cover letter with applicant's name, address, phone number, email address, job title/description, place of employment, and length of time spent in the field of agricultural information and/or a statement as a first-time attendee.
For students: send a cover letter including name, address, e-mail address, and phone number, along with information about the program of study and a brief explanation for interest in attending the USAIN conference or how agricultural information is relevant to career plans.
Submit a double-spaced typed essay of no more than 750 words addressing the theme of the Conference or an issue of importance to persons involved in agricultural information.

Essays will be judged on the basis of thoughtfulness, quality of writing, and adherence to application guidelines as described above. Submitted essays will not be returned.

Submit all information by assigned date. Submissions postmarked after that date would not be considered for the Awards.

All applicants will be notified of their status by assigned date.

Checks will be presented to the Award winners at the USAIN Business Meeting at the Conference.

Mail entries to: Awards Chair name and address

USAIN reserves the right to withhold the awards if there are no suitable applicants.