When are nominations open?
Nominations are typically open in the Spring each year.
Who can be nominated for a Dean’s Award?
Essentially, any full-time, non-student employee of the Division of Libraries. This includes faculty, researchers, clerical staff, administrators, technical staff, and more, encompassing all departments of the division and union and non-union employees alike. Libraries employees in New York City, Shanghai, and Abu Dhabi are eligible. You cannot nominate yourself, the Dean, members of the Rewards & Recognition Committee, casual employees, contract employees or student employees.
You are free to nominate colleagues in your department, your supervisors, people you supervise, or people from another department in the division. The award is not restricted to any one rank.
Can I nominate more than one person?
Yes! You can nominate multiple people individually, or you can nominate teams. “Team” is defined broadly, and can be cross-departmental. If you’re nominating a team, just be sure you indicate all the names of the people you wish to acknowledge.
The form asks me to name someone else who can talk about my nominee. Does it have to be their supervisor? Or mine?
We would like to hear from their supervisor if at all possible. You may also include references who aren’t the nominee’s direct supervisor, and are welcome to note more than one reference. We are looking for quality, meaningful, first-hand information. We would like you, as a nominator, and your chosen reference to be detailed and specific. You may pick someone outside of the Libraries as a reference if they have first-hand experience of your nominee or nominated team’s accomplishments.
Can I quote or collaborate with other colleagues when nominating someone?
Yes! It’s even encouraged, though not required. You may each nominate the individual separately, or combine forces on one nomination. If you choose the latter, be sure to note both of your names. We like to highlight when a nominee has more than one person endorsing them!
What if someone is a great candidate for the award, but not all of the three categories – Service, Collaboration, and Innovation – apply to their job?
Some positions require people to work independently, and others might have many opportunities for service but none for innovation. If your nominee excels in all three areas, we strongly encourage you to tell us about all three, but we know every job is different. Remember also that innovation, service, and collaboration can all take many forms.
Do nominees need to have completed a major project to be eligible?
No – not everyone who does stellar work for the division is involved in defined projects, and many projects are ongoing. A great achievement on a project is a wonderful thing to talk about in a nomination, but is not a requirement. Someone’s day to day accomplishments can be significant and worth recognition.
If I nominated a group or person in the past, and they did not receive the award, may I nominate them again?
Yes! You are entirely welcome to re-nominate people who have not received the Dean’s Award before. It’s even a chance to expand upon your previous comments.
When are winners announced?
Winners will typically be honored during the summer. During the following week, everyone who was nominated will receive a certificate.