Introduction
The Australian Library and Information Association makes funds available to encourage research projects relevant to the library and wider profession and to provide an opportunity for professional members to investigate a project they would otherwise be unable to do because of the time and costs involved.
Eligibility
Research Grant Award
The Research Grant Award is open to library practitioners and early career LIS researchers* who are members of ALIA. The review committee encourages projects from practitioners or that involve both a practitioner and a researcher. Research students may apply to fund a component of their study conducted as part of their university course. In this case, the study component must be defined as a distinct project. Members of the ALIA Research Advisory Committee are eligible to apply but will not be present in meetings when research awards are discussed.
Library Technician Research Award (biennial)
The Library Technician Research Award is open to all financial Library Technician Members of ALIA.
Twila Ann Janssen Herr Research Award for Disability Services (biennial)
Applicants for the Twila Ann Janssen Herr Research Award are required to be financial ALIA Personal Members early in their career and practicing in the sector.
*As a guide, Early Career Researchers (ECR) are researchers who are within five years of the start of their research careers when they submit their applications. This normally means that you have been awarded a PhD or equivalent research doctorate within five years, however, an extension to this limit may be approved owing to significant career interruptions.
Terms and conditions
- The ALIA Research Advisory Committee and the ALIA Board of Directors reserve the right to amend these terms and conditions from time to time as it thinks fit, provided that any such amendment shall not in any way affect any grants already made pursuant to these terms and conditions.
- ALIA reserves the right to make broad adjustments to the proposed project to ensure optimal relevance for the Association and the wider profession.
- The ALIA Research Advisory Committee reserves the right to require research ethics principles have been met.
- No increase in expenditure from that stated in the final offer will be allowed: Research Grant Award up to $5000, Library Technician Research Award up to $5000, Twila Ann Janssen Herr Research Award for Disability Services up to $5000. Costings must allow for GST on goods or services.
The successful recipient(s) will be required to:
- Prepare a comprehensive report which may be published in an ALIA publication. Any publications describing work that has been wholly or partially supported by an ALIA research grant will make due acknowledgment of such support.
- Present reports to the ALIA Research Advisory Committee as specified in award application forms. If these deadlines cannot be met, the recipient is required to advise the ALIA Research Advisory Committee, explaining the reasons for the delay and propose new submission dates for the reports.
- Library Technician Research Award recipients are required to prepare a comprehensive scholarly report on their studies, suitable for publication as an INCITE article and be prepared to present the Library Technician Research Award topic at the Library and Information Technicians' Symposium or equivalent event and be prepared to assume all costs associated with attendance at such event
- ALIA Research Grant Award and Twila Ann Janssen Herr Award recipients are required to make a presentation at an ALIA conference or event and assume all costs associated with attending such an event.
Application
Advice to applicants:
Checklist, what to include
-
Timeline
-
Budget
-
An outline of proposed research project including aims, objectives and outcomes
-
Evaluation
-
Curriculum vitae
-
References from two referees
-
Other related information to assist in the evaluation of your application such as letters of support from employers or professional colleagues
In your application, you must provide all the information requested to be considered for the award.
Selection
ALIA Research Advisory Committee
-
May seek further information or independent referee reports from the candidate as necessary.
-
Reserves the right not to make an award in any year where it judges applications to be of insufficient merit.
-
Will submit notice in writing to each candidate from whom an application has been received, as to whether the candidate has been successful or not, and, in the case of a successful candidate, giving details of the value and terms of the award and any conditions.
-
Will announce the successful applicant through INCITE and ALIA Weekly.
Other stipulations
-
The decision of the ALIA Research Advisory Committee and the ALIA Board of Directors will be final and no correspondence on their decision will be entered into.
-
The winner will assume all costs of attending any presentation ceremony.
Library Technician Research Award selection committee
The selection committee:
-
Is comprised of the ALIA President; a member of the national executive of the library technician's group; a member appointed by the Board of Directors and an educator of library technician students.
-
Encourages the publication of funded research activities showing the benefits to the individual and to the practice of library technicians.
-
Recommends recipients of the Library Technician Research Award to the Board of Directors for endorsement.
Forfeiture of awards
The unexpended balance of any award may at the absolute discretion of the panel or committee be forfeited by the recipient in the following cases:
-
In the event of the recipient not fulfilling any conditions that may be attached to the terms of the award.
-
In the event of the recipient for any reason whatever being prevented from continuing their research.
-
In the event that the recipient does not utilise the award within twelve months of its acceptance.
All applications will become the property of ALIA and will be kept confidential. Only the details of the successful applications will be made public.