University Libraries Faculty and Staff Awards

Awards recognizing University Libraries faculty and staff.

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Administrative Faculty of the Year Award

This award recognizes Administrative Faculty within the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Libraries for outstanding contributions towards the Libraries and its goals.

Eligibility

Administrative Faculty who have served at least 5 years of continuous full-time service at UNLV University Libraries by December 31 of the previous year are eligible.

Criteria

• Exceptional work achievement, particularly in creativity and initiative in developing services or ideas that enhance library operations. Emphasis will be placed on accomplishments from the previous year as well as cumulative record of the past five years.
• Other criteria may include meaningful contributions to the library, the university, the community, or the profession. 

Recognition

This award includes a one-time payment of $600 (after taxes) to the recipient. The award recipient is announced at the Libraries Staff Recognition event in June.

Award winners

• 2024: Sean Kennedy

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Classified Employee of the Year Award

The Classified Employee of the Year Award is an annual award given on a competitive basis to classified employees within University Libraries.

Eligibility

The classified staff member must have at least 3 years of continuous service in the University Libraries. The staff member must also be employed full-time during the fiscal year when the award presentation is made.

Criteria

Consideration will be based on concern for the Libraries and its goals; attitude toward fellow employees, students, faculty, and the public; and exceptional work achievement within the preceding two calendar years.

Recognition

Award winners will be honored at an annual Libraries Staff Recognition event in June with the presentation of a certificate and will receive a one-time stipend of $600 (after taxes).

Award winners

• 2023: Yuko Shinozaki
• 2022: Katherine Keller
• 2021: Jerome Overstreet
• 2020: Heng-Wei Cheng
• 2019: Chris Barragato
• 2018: Delores Brownlee
• 2017: Cris Carranto
• 2016: John Fox
• 2015: Heng-Wei Cheng
• 2014: Pat McCarty
• 2013: Kelly Robertson
• 2012: Rachelle Weigel
• 2011: Carmen Stern
• 2010: Charles Mrozek
• 2009: Sheila Beard
• 2008: Kathleen Marx

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Award is designed to acknowledge and award individual staff efforts in making a meaningful contribution for the Libraries’ goals in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion.  The contribution can be made in the areas of job performance, scholarship, and/or service to the library, university, the community, or the profession.

Eligibility

All employees of the University Libraries who have been employed for at least one calendar year by December 31 are eligible for this award. The previous year’s winner will not be eligible for the award.

Criteria

Consideration will be based on overall outstanding contribution. The library staff member must have made a meaningful contribution in job performance, scholarship, and/or service to library, the university, the community, or the profession in support of the Libraries’ diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. Emphasis will be placed on accomplishments during the previous year.

Recognition

This award includes a one-time payment of $600 (after taxes) to the recipient. The award recipient is announced at the Libraries Staff Recognition event in June.

Award winners

• 2024: Brittani Sterling

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Innovative Solutions and Customer Service Award

The Innovative Solutions and Customer Service Award acknowledges and rewards individual staff who provide excellent customer service to library patrons, demonstrates innovation and creative thinking to solve a problem or challenge, or improve upon an existing practice in the provision of library services and resources. While not all library employees work directly with our patrons, all staff have the potential to make contributions that will positively impact the provision of customer service in the University Libraries. 

Eligibility

All employees of UNLV University Libraries who have been employed for at least one calendar year by December 31 are eligible for this award. The previous year’s winner will not be eligible for the award.

Criteria

The recipient should embody the criteria:

• Demonstrated innovation and creative thinking to solve a problem or challenge, or to improve upon existing practice in the provision of library services and resources.
• Providing extraordinary assistance to colleagues.
• Demonstrating extraordinary diplomacy.

Recognition

This award includes a one-time payment of $600 to the recipient. In the event of a tie, the Dean will select a winner. The award recipient is announced at the Libraries Staff Recognition event in June.

Award winners

• 2024: Noah Price

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Library Service Award

The  Library Service Award recognizes library member(s) whose outstanding service made a major contribution to the library, the university, the community, or the profession.

Eligibility

All employees of UNLV University Libraries who have been employed for at least one calendar year by December 31 are eligible for this award. The previous year’s winner will not be eligible for the award.

Criteria

The nominee should have made meaningful service contributions to the library, the university, the community, or the profession. Emphasis will be placed on accomplishments from the previous calendar year. 

Recognition

This award includes a one-time payment of $600 (after taxes) to the recipient. The award recipient is announced at the Libraries Staff Recognition event in June.

Award winners

• 2024: Anjanette Jones

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McPhee Librarian of the Year Award

The James S. McPhee Librarian of the Year Award recognizes library faculty within the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Libraries for outstanding contributions to the library, university, and the community.

Eligibility

To be eligible for nomination, the employee must have 5 years of continuous full-time academic faculty service at the UNLV University Libraries by December 31 of the previous year. Tenured and tenure-track faculty members are eligible.

The following are not eligible for consideration of the James S. McPhee Librarian of the Year Award:

• Administrative Faculty and Executive Faculty (Dean and Associate Deans)
• Visiting faculty
• Adjunct faculty

Criteria

The recipient should embody the following criteria:

• Overall outstanding performance in job duties, service, and scholarship. The library faculty member must have made meaningful contributions to the library, the university, the community, or the profession.
• Emphasis will be placed on accomplishments during the previous year and the cumulative record of the past five years.

Recognition

This annual award includes a one-time stipend of $1200 (after taxes). The award recipient is announced at the Libraries Staff Recognition event in June.

Award winners

• 2024: Darnelle Melvin
• 2023: Xan Goodman
• 2022: Sue Wainscott
• 2021: Patrick Griffis
• 2020: Peter Michel
• 2019: Carol Ou
• 2018: Samantha Godbey
• 2017: Marilyn Vent
• 2016: Rosan Mitola
• 2015: Su Kim Chung
• 2014: Cory Tucker
• 2013: Cory Lampert
• 2012: Lateka Grays
• 2011: Jason Vaughan
• 2010: Priscilla Finley
• 2009: Susie Skarl
• 2008: Jennifer Fabbi
• 2007: Su Kim Chung
• 2006: Kenneth Bierman

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Outstanding Library Faculty Scholarship Award

The Outstanding Library Faculty Scholarship Award recognizes library faculty within the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Libraries for outstanding contributions to scholarship.

Eligibility

All library faculty are eligible as defined in the Faculty Bylaws 1.2 who have been employed for at least one calendar year by December 31 are eligible for this award.  The previous year’s winner will not be eligible for the award.

The following are eligible for consideration of the Library Faculty Scholarship Award:

• Tenured and tenure-track academic faculty
• Full-time non-tenure-track library faculty (i.e. administrative faculty)
• Faculty on temporary appointments (i.e. visiting faculty)
• Adjunct faculty status at the levels of Adjunct Assistant Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor, or Adjunct Professor

The Committee will accept self-nominations. Nominations may come from, but are not limited to library staff, campus personnel and faculty, or other professionals in the field.

Criteria

Consideration will be based on overall outstanding scholarship. The library faculty member must have made a major contribution to the library, the university, the community or the profession. Emphasis will be placed on scholarship efforts made during the previous year.

Recognition

This annual award includes a one-time stipend of $600 (after taxes). If there is more than one recipient, the award is split equally. The award recipient is announced at the Libraries Staff Recognition event in June.

Award winners

• 2024: Amber Sewell
• 2023: Sarah Jones
• 2022: Chelsea Heinbach
• 2021: Claytee White
• 2020: Samantha Godbey
• 2019: Emily Lapworth
• 2018: Cyndi Shein
• 2017: Starr Hoffman
• 2016: Melissa Bowles-Terry
• 2015: Silvia Southwick
• 2014: Marianne Buehler
• 2013: David Schwartz
• 2012: Paula McMillen
• 2011: Jason Vaughan
• 2010: Cory Tucker
• 2009: Jeanne Brown
• 2008: Cory Lampert