OCULA Lifetime Achievement Award
Academic Library Sector
Description
This award recognizes an individual working in libraries in Ontario who has made an outstanding contribution to academic or research library development. The award honours exceptional achievements by librarians, library technicians, or other library staff from college or university libraries.
Criteria/Eligibility
To qualify, nominees must have shown exceptional contributions to the profession in one or more of the following areas:
- Service to library committees, associations or organizations;
- Research and publication in areas of academic librarianship;
- Planning and implementing a library program which serves as a model to others.
- Service as a role model or mentor to others
- Nominees do not have to be members of OLA
- Normally, this award goes to late-career individuals, however, we welcome nominations of mid-career individuals as well.
Nomination Procedure
- Nominations will be accepted between February – November
- The nominator must be a member in good standing of OLA.
- The nominator must provide sufficient documented evidence of the nominee’s contribution, including:
- Candidate CV
- One letter of support from the nominator, with up to 2 additional letters supporting the nomination that provide specific examples of the nominee’s contributions. The letters can be from direct reports, faculty, students, supervisors, or anyone who can speak to their contributions. The letters as a whole should cover one or more of the four criteria that will be evaluated:
- Service to library committees, associations or organizations;
- Research and publication in areas of academic librarianship;
- Planning and implementing a library program which serves as a model to others;
- Served as a role model/mentor to others
- In addition to these criteria, the Committee will look for evidence of leadership in the profession, and will also consider the completeness of the nomination package. Colleagues knowledgeable about the nominee’s work should be chosen to write the letters of support.
- Please also consult this selection rubric for a full understanding of how the nomination package will be evaluated.
- All OLA Awards follow the OLA Awards Procedure.
Selection Process
- The selection committee consists of a past award recipient, one OCULA councillor, and an OCULA past president (Chair). The committee makes decisions based solely on the content of the nomination package and does not review additional materials or websites.
- The OCULA Awards Committee will present all qualified candidates to the OCULA Council and their recommendation for the award winner. Council will vote to approve or reject the Awards Committee recommendation.
- Nominations are active for 2 years. If a nomination is unsuccessful in the first year that it is submitted, it will be held for the next year to be reconsidered. Nominators will be asked to update information submitted.
- The presentation of the award is at the discretion of OCULA Council and is not necessarily presented on an annual basis.
Award Presentation Information
- This award is presented at the OLA annual Super Conference
2026 Larry Alford, University of Toronto
2025 Not awarded
2024 Cynthia McKeich, Humber College
2023 Barbara McDonald, University of Guelph
2020 Joan Sweeney Marsh, Sheridan College
2019 Tanis Fink, Seneca College
2018 Gladys Watson, Centennial College Libraries
2017 Anne Dondertman, University of Toronto Libraries
2016 Karen McGrath, Niagara College
2015 Jim Brett, University of Guelph
2014 Mary Ann Mavrinac
2013 Corinne Laverty
2012 Carole Moore, University of Toronto Libraries
2011 Faye Abrams
2010 Toni Olshen, York University
2009 Lorna E. Rourke
2008 Jennifer Horwath
2007 Michael Ridley
2006 Jeff Moon
2005 Don Kinder
2004 Art Rhyno
2003 Janet Kaufman
2002 Laraine Tapak
2001 Susan Moskal
2000 Marilyn Mcdermott
1999 Martha K. Wolfe
1998 Gloria Leckie
1997 Wendy Kennedy
1996 Lois Wall
1995 Annetta Protain
1994 Elise Hayton
1993 Bernard Katz
1992 Brian Land
1991 Cathy Zuraw
1990 Laurent Denis
1989 Jean Weihs
1988 Olga Bishop
1987 Margaret Beckman
1986 Beth Miller
