F A Sharr Medal

The F A Sharr Medal is awarded to the graduand who has just completed their final year of a library and information degree or diploma or is in their first year of employment and exhibits the most potential and is most likely to have a positive impact on their preferred stream of the library profession.

Image courtesy of the State Library of Western Australia

In keeping with the spirit of the award, the successful candidate must be a resident of Western Australia. An award, including the awarding of the Medal itself, does not take place if there are no suitable applicants. The prestige of the award must be preserved.

About the Medal
Award Selection Criteria
Nomination and Selection Process
Sharr Medal Presentation
Role of the Sharr Medallist
Important Dates
Nomination Form

About the Medal

The F A Sharr Medal is named after Francis Aubie (Ali) Sharr, State Librarian in Western Australia from 1953 to 1976, in recognition of his contribution to libraries and librarianship in Western Australia and to the profession overall.

For more information about F A Sharr please see:
K Smith (2002) ‘Obituaries: Francis Aubie (Ali) Sharr’ Australian Academic & Research Libraries, vol. 33, no. 4.

The award was inaugurated in 1976 when the first Medal was presented to Mrs Jean Ryding, a Western Australian student of librarianship.

The award is determined from:

• A minimum of two nominations to support the application and address the selection criteria
• Interview
• Presentation

For more information about F A Sharr please see: K Smith (2002) ‘Obituaries: Francis Aubie (Ali) Sharr’ Australian Academic & Research Libraries, vol. 33, no. 4.

Award Selection Criteria

Nominees' must address the following selection criteria:

1. Be a Western Australian graduand having just completed their final year or a library and information studies course or be a Western Australian employee in their first year of employment after completing a library and information studies course
2. Be a member, or intend on becoming a member, of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA)
3. Demonstrate excellence in conceptual and analytical skills through examples from work or study
4. Demonstrate the values of ALIA through involvement in current professional and community activities
5. Possess the ability to discuss current issues concerning the library and information industry

Nomination and Selection Process

Nominations can be self-nominating or put forward on behalf of a candidate (with their approval) by their employer, a colleague, or their teaching institution. Eligible teaching institutions include Curtin, ECU and Perth TAFE.

Nominations must be on the official form, and include:

• Nominee details
• Details of two nominators. Please note, at least one of the nominators must be a School staff member from an eligible teaching institution or a practicing librarian or library technician
• Address of the award selection criteria

A panel will be formed by the ALIAWest Committee to interview selected nominees. Members of the panel will include the State Librarian and CEO of the State Library of Western Australia, the Convenor of ALIAWest and one other member of the ALIAWest Committee.

The selection panel devises a short series of interview questions each year to measure candidates against the selection criteria. The candidate is also asked to provide a verbal ten minute presentation on the topic 'An important future issue impacting on the nominee's preferred field'. Interviews are approximately forty five minutes including the presentation. After the interviews, the selection panel chooses the winner of the award.

Sharr Medal Presentation

The Sharr Medallist is presented with their award at an ALIAWest function which is usually held at the State Library of Western Australia. As a new initiative in 2007, the function will include a high profile guest speaker to provide an oration on an issue relating to the delivery of library and information services.

The Medal is awarded by the State Librarian and CEO in keeping with the origins of the Award and the winner's name is recorded on the Honour Board, which is on public display at the State Library of Western Australia.

Role of the Sharr Medallist

The Sharr Medallist becomes the ambassador for the Award for the following year and is expected to be actively involved in ALIA events as well as participate as a member on the Sharr Medal working group (a sub committee of ALIAWest which has responsibility for reviewing the award each year and coordinating the Sharr Medal Award Presentation).

The Sharr Medallist is also expected to promote the Award and to seek and encourage applications for the following year.

Important Dates

2008/2009 Timeline (for 2008 Sharr Medal):

Nomination Form

Jill Benn, Reid Library, M209, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, CRAWLEY 6009 WA e-mail: jbenn@library.uwa.edu.au.nospam (please remove '.nospam' from address)