Stanford Prize for Innovation in Research Libraries (SPIRL)

Stanford University Libraries announces the Stanford Prize for Innovation in Research Libraries - SPIRL, an award that is intended to recognize and celebrate individual research libraries for sustained and significant innovation in any operational area.  Nominations with documentation may be made by institutions or individuals and are due by 5:00pm Pacific Standard Time on Tuesday 15 January 2013.  A full explanation of the intent and process for SPIRL may be found at http://library.stanford.edu/prizes/spirl It is expected that the first prize(s) will be announced in mid- to late-February 2013.

Judging criteria

Awards will be based on a single programmatic or project undertaking and/or a sustained culture and profile of encouraging effective and sustainable innovation; the effect of such efforts must have measurable impact on the library's own clientele as well as the potential for influencing the practices and/or standards of research librarianship generally. The notion of “innovation” need not be inherently about information technology, though it might be assumed that such technology will be employed as appropriate to achieve the programmatic ends of the institution. Nominations will be judged on the following:

• Evidence of the effects of the program(s) on the readers/users or staff of the nominated library;
• Nature of the innovation;
• Potential contribution(s) of the program to research and/or service practices in other domains outside of research librarianship;
• Sustainability of the program;
• Potential for replication or adaptation by other research libraries.