IUG Beacon Award

In 2007, the Innovative Users Group Steering Committee, at the suggestion of many members, created the IUG Beacon Award. The lighthouse was chosen as a symbol and the award was created:

"To honor exceptional service to the Innovative Users Community through presentations, collaboration, selfless dedication to libraries as a whole, and sage advice to others via the IUG List. "While a great implementation is the product of a great employee, the IUG Beacon Award will acknowledge great community members - people who help others attain greatness and share the knowledge that she/he gained in the process."

The lighthouse was chosen to symbolize:

Inspiration
Navigation
Illumination
Protection

Previous Winners of the IUG Beacon Award:

2002 (Houston)

Mieko Yamaguchi - The University of Wales, Bangor
Mikeo was awarded this honor for both her photographic memory of the users manual and her amazing willingness to help other IUG members with issues via the listserv.

2007 (San Jose)

Bob Duncan - Lafayette College
Bob was awarded this honor for his tremendous effort to assist users of WebBridge and the WebOPAC. His support of other users via the IUG list far exceeds the documentation made available anywhere else.

2008 (Washington, D.C.)

Elizabeth Thomsen - NOBLE (North of Boston Library Exchange)
Elizabeth was awarded this honor for her excellent programs at IUG on Create Lists and her exceptional answers to questions that are posted to the IUG listserv.

2009 (Anaheim)

TBD - Nominations due by January 31, 2009

Bob, Elizabeth and Mieko at the 2008 IUG Conference in Washington, D.C.

Nominating Process

The IUG Past-Chairs and Steering Committee will solicit nominations from the Innovative Community every fall. The past-chairs and steering committee will select a recipient prior to the IUG Annual Meeting, where the award will be presented.

The current IUG Past-Chair will serve as the chair of the award committee and will present the award at the annual IUG meeting.

Nomination Process:

Nomination Calendar for 2009 IUG Beacon Award:

Call for Nominations - November 1, 2008
Deadline for Nominations - January 31, 2009
Presentation of Award - IUG Opening Session - Monday May 18, 2009

Nominations should be sent to the IUG Past Chair (Nancy Fleck, fleckn@mail.lib.msu.edu) with the following information:

Name
Library Name
Why should this person earn the IUG Beacon Award?
Your Name & Library

Submission Notes

You may submit the nomination directly in an email text, or send it as an attached Word or PDF document.
Please keep the description to 100 words and highlight his or her contribution to the IUG community through conferences, meetings, services and assistance via the IUG list.
You may nominate yourself for this award.

Who is Eligible?

Any librarian or staff member at an IUG member library.
Current IUG Steering Committee members are ineligible. However, regional officers can be nominated.
Previous winners of the award are ineligible. The award is designed to honor long-term support of the Innovative community.

Number and Frequency of Awards:

IUG Awards Committee reserves the right to change the number of award winners in any year.
The Awards Committee may opt to give the award to one or two recipients during a single year.
The Awards Committee may also opt not to present the award at all during a single year.

Selection Committee for IUG Beacon Award:

IUG Past-Chair serves as Chair of the Awards Committee
IUG Secretary/Treasurer
IUG Steering Committee Members-at-Large in their second year of office
Three most recent IUG Past-Chairs who are currently at an Innovative Library

Selection Committee for the 2009 IUG Beacon Award:

Nancy Fleck (Michigan State University), IUG Past-Chair, Chair of the Awards Committee
Janet Crum (Oregon Health & Science University), IUG Secretary/Treasurer
Pat Crawford (Bryant College), IUG Steering Committee Member-at-large
Mark Strang (Bowling Green State University), IUG Steering Committee Member-at-large
Corey Seeman (Kresge Business Library, University of Michigan), IUG Past-Chair
Cheryl Gowing (University of Miami), IUG Past-Chair
Karen Johnson (University of San Francisco), IUG Past-Chair

Questions - please contact Nancy Fleck, IUG Past Chair, at fleckn@mail.lib.msu.edu

Updated May 30, 2008