SLIS Alumni Association

Award recipients are chosen through a nomination and a committee review process. Once chosen, recipients' names are engraved on a plaque kept in the OU School of Library and Information Studies. A certificate of award will be presented to the recipient, and a $50 donation to the Irma Tomberlin Scholarship Fund will be made in the name of the recipient.

The Alumni Association begins taking nominations at the beginning of December. 2024 Nominations are now open!

Any person receiving a Master's degree in Library Science from the University of Oklahoma School of Library & Information Studies may be eligible for this award if:

• The person has generated an active interest in the School and/or,
• The person has made an effective and innovative contribution to the library profession such as scholarship, publications, research, teaching training, mentor and professional activities.

• Nominators will submit a letter of recommendation electronically that briefly describes the nominee’s qualifications for the award. The letter will include the nominee’s current contact information.
• Nominators may include supporting materials as they wish.
• Nominees will be graduates of the OU SLIS program and currently working in the library field.
• No self-nominations.
• Nominees will submit a current vita or resume and any other supporting materials to the Outstanding Alumni committee chair upon request.
• In rare cases, more than one award may be given.
• If in the opinion of the Awards Committee, no worthy candidate is nominated in a given year, the award will not be presented.

The strength of the nomination letter is an important factor in the consideration of choosing an award recipient. Please consider the following criteria when making your nomination:

• Contributions to the profession within the workplace
• Contributions to the profession beyond the workplace
• Demonstrated leadership within the profession
• Honors and awards received
• Contributions benefitting library users or members of the library community
• Distinguished service to the profession
• Outstanding participation in activities of professional library associations
• Notable publications and productions
• Leadership in education and in-service training for librarian
• Improvements in library services
• Development of library facilities
• Mentoring other librarians

The Honors and Awards Committee shall be compromised of members of the Alumni Association and one faculty member of the school.

The Dr. Frances Laverne Carroll Student Paper Award (previously the Alumni Student Paper Award) is awarded every year to an outstanding paper written by a current OU SLIS student. 

The author of the winning paper will receive $250.00 from the OU SLIS Alumni Association and be recognized at the annual Oklahoma Library Association reception. The name of the students, as well as the name of the paper, will be engraved on a plaque that is kept in the OU School of Library and Information Studies. In addiion, the paper abstract will be posted on the Alumni Web page.

The 2025 paper has been selected.

The Dr. Frances Laverne Carroll Student Paper Award (previously the Alumni Student Paper Award) is awarded every year by the OU SLIS Alumni Association to an outstanding paper written by a current OU SLIS student. 

Eligibility

• Author must be a student who is currently enrolled and attending OU SLIS classes or a recent graduate of the library school (last 6 months)
• Papers submitted cannot be previously published or submitted for publication
• Papers must have been written in the previous twelve months
• Papers must be in English and be the original work of the applicant

Content

• Papers can address any topic related to libraries, librarianship, or information management in libraries

Format

• The paper must be at least 10 ages, double-spaced, and include an abstract and bibliography
• Papers should be submitted in MS Word with a completed coversheet (Word doc coversheet) 

Judging Criteria

• Topic - relevancy and appeal to professional librarians
• Organization
• Development of topic
• Authority - evidence of scholarly research

Copyright and Publication

• By entering the contest, entrant grant permission to publish all or part of their paper's abstract and to use their name and photograph without royalty or other consideration

The paper submission deadline will be announced annually, and papers should be submitted by e-mail to the Chair of the committee.