ALIA West

Do you know an outstanding graduate?

The FA Sharr Medal is an award given to the graduand who exhibits the most potential; the one most likely to have a positive impact on their preferred stream of the library profession.

It is named after Francis Aubie (Ali) Sharr, State Librarian from Western Australia from 1953 to 1976, in recognition of his contribution to libraries and librarianship in this state and to the profession.

The award was inaugurated in 1976 when the first commemorative medal was presented to Mrs Jean Ryding, a Western Australian student of librarianship. Three annual awards are made by WA Forum to a graduand librarian, teacher-librarian and technician. The most outstanding of these award winners is presented with the FA Sharr Medal.

Selection criteria
The Sharr Medal is awarded to the candidate who displays the most potential to have a positive impact on their preferred stream of librarianship. WA Forum makes three annual awards to:

1. a graduand librarian
2. a graduand library technician
3. a graduand teacher-librarian

and the Sharr Medal will be awarded to the most outstanding of the three award winners. 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.

The award is determined from:

• nomination (10 per cent of total mark)
• interview (70 per cent of total mark)
• presentation (20 per cent of total mark)
• and referee reports

Award criteria

• Nominees need to have just completed their final year of a library studies course (not necessarily in Western Australia)
• Nominees to be members or student members of ALIA West
• Nominees to demonstrate excellence in conceptual and analytical skills
• Quality of presentation of nomination
• Involvement in current professional and community activities
• Ability to discuss issues concerning the library and information industry

Nomination
Final year students from each of the three streams are invited to nominate for the Sharr Medal.

Nominations must be on the official form which is structured to address the selection criteria. The form is available at http://www.alia.org.au/awards/merit/sharr.medal/. Nominations are to include:

• a letter in support of the application which addresses the selection criteria
• the names of three referees comprising:
  • Head of school or staff member
  • Practicing librarian or library technician
  • One other

The nominator can also be a referee. Applications close 28 February 2003.

Selection
Nominees, selected from their nominations, will be interviewed by the selection panel. The selection panel devises about five interview questions each year to measure candidates against the selection criteria. Interviews are approximately thirty minutes long and will be held in March.

After the interviews, the selection panel chooses the winners of the three individual awards. These winners make a five-minute presentation to the WA Forum Committee on the topic 'An important future issue impacting on the nominee's preferred field'. The presentations take place in April. The Sharr Medallist is chosen by the selection panel after the presentations. The Sharr Medal will be awarded during Library and Information Week.

For further information please contact WA Forum secretary Belinda Grayson, bgrayson@cambridge.wa.gov.au.nospam (please remove '.nospam' from address) or ph 08 9383 8977, or visit the ALIA website