South Australian Library & Information Awards (SALIAs): hosted by ALIA SA

The South Australian Library & Information Awards

Launching in 2023, the SALIAs is an annual merit prize which celebrates and recognises the work of an individual working in any sector of the library and information profession in South Australia.  The award aims to promote innovation and excellence within the library and information profession.

SALIA Terms of Reference
SALIA Judging Panel Terms of Reference

The Award:

The SALIA Award will be presented each November at a cocktail event hosted by ALIA SA. The winner will receive a trophy and a voucher to attend an ALIA conference or symposium in the year ahead, as well as formal recognition on the ALIA website and via ALIA News.

Who is eligible?

Any individual working in the library or information profession, or professional research in South Australia, and who is a financial member of ALIA (personal or institutional) is eligible for nomination. Nominations can be made:

  • By yourself, i.e., self-nomination
  • By the manager of your library or information centre or of the parent body, or
  • By one of your peers or a professional colleague.

What are we looking for?

The successful nomination will be judged on one or more of the following criteria:

  • Innovative practice in the development of library and information services
  • Implementation of new services or new technologies
  • Successful collaborative ventures or partnerships in library and information services
  • Creative approaches to marketing or promoting library and information services, or the library profession
  • Demonstrated dedication to the advancement of the library &/or information profession
  • Outstanding library storyteller of the year
  • Rising professional (in the industry 2 years or less)
  • New initiative of the year
  • Outstanding leadership in a library
  • Outstanding work in mentorship
  • Research or professional work of significant contribution to the library &/or information profession
  • Outstanding event/training/class for the year
  • Sustainability project (with relevance to the UN Sustainable Development Goals)
  • Projects related to disability access and outreach
  • Community engagement and outreach – LGBTQIA+ community
  • Community engagement and outreach – Indigenous community
  • Community engagement and outreach – multicultural community

*Please note that nominations do not need to address all criteria.

What are the conditions of entry?

1. Nominations are sought from all sectors of the library and information profession in South Australia.

2. Nominations must be submitted on the nomination form (to be released shortly) and should:

  • Clearly indicate the selection criterion/criteria being addressed
  • Describe the activities undertaken to meet the given criterion/criteria
  • Provide a statement of support from the nominator(s)
  • A portfolio to demonstrate evidence of the accomplishments may accompany the submission, but is not mandatory.

3. The selection process will comprise:

  • A review for eligibility & suitability by the ALIA SA committee
  • Final decisions to be made by a selection panel appointed by the ALIA SA committee.

4. The decisions made by the selection panel are final and no correspondence will be entered into.

5. ALIA SA reserves the right to withhold an award should the selection panel advise that no nominees have met the given criteria.

Timeline

  • Nominations open: July 31st, 2023
  • Nominations close: September 30th, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. (ACST)
  • Winner Awarded: November 14th, 2023 at an in-person awards ceremony in the Hetzel Lecture Theatre, State Library of South Australia

The consideration process

  • After a nomination is received, it is registered and an acknowledgement is sent to the nominator.
  • Prior to the considerations for an award, contact is made with the nominee to establish whether the nominee would be willing to accept an award.