Professional Achievement Award

Purpose: to recognize one or more members for notable and enduring contributions to the Chapter and the profession. The Award represents a cumulative evaluation of an individual’s career and emphasizes local activity and leadership of an exemplary nature. The Award is named “The San Francisco Bay Region Chapter Professional Achievement Award.”

Frequency: The Award review process takes place annually. However, there is no requirement that the Award be given every year.

Criteria for recipient(s): To be eligible for the Award, the nominee(s) must be a current Chapter member, active or retired, in good standing.

The Award honors Chapter members who achieve distinction in areas of professional concern and activity. Particular attention should be given to local involvement and Chapter contributions.

Nominees may excel in one or more areas:

• Outstanding leadership in the Chapter, at meetings, and in committee work. Special and notable service to the Chapter, such as participation in special projects.
• Participation in seminars, teaching courses, and public speaking activities.
• Publication and editorial contributions to professional literature.
• Innovations at the worksite.
• Mentoring activities, which encourage others in the profession.
• Extracurricular activities, which provide the profession and/or the Chapter with commendable publicity and acclaim.
• Other achievements indicating noteworthy dedication to the profession of special librarianship/information science.

Procedure: Award nomination announcements

• Should be placed in the June/July and August/September issues of the Chapter Newsletter, Bayline, along with a Nomination Form, alerting the membership to the nomination process.
• Public announcements should also be made at the Summer and Fall Chapter meetings to encourage nominations and to remind members of the nomination deadline.
• Email should be sent to the Chapter email reflector and listserv twice.
• Final deadline for receipt of all nominations will be September 1.
• The Past President will notify the recipient immediately after the Executive Board approval has been given.
• The Chapter President will present the Award at the first Chapter meeting of the year. The President will write the speech for the President’s presentation. The Chair will write an article to the newsletter editor for inclusion in the next issue of Bayline.

Award gift: certificate and gift or gift certificate relevant to the awardee’s interests such as garden tools, books, tennis lessons, etc. and dinner for recipient and a guest at the meeting where award is presented.

History: Proposals to establish a Chapter award recognizing outstanding professional service achievements date back to 1980, when Association President, Joe Dagnese made the suggestion. The idea germinated through various phases of discussion and draft over several years, but no formal action was taken until July 1984, when the Executive Board created an Ad Hoc Committee to Establish a Chapter Award. The Ad Hoc Committee’s recommendations were accepted by the Board, and the first Award Selection Committee was named in Fall, 1984. The first award was presented in May, 1985. The form of the award (an 8- or 9-inch silver-plated Revere bowl) and the wording of the engraving on it (SLA/San Francisco Bay Region Chapter/Award for Professional Achievement/Year/Recipient’s name) was chosen by the first Award Selection Committee, but the bowl has been replaced by a gift relevant to the recipients’ interests such as garden tools, books, tennis lessons, etc.