The American Library Association (ALA) is a professional society for librarians and some other information service providers. Its awards program includes "Books, Print & Media Awards"; professional recognition within the library sciences; and scholarships, fellowships and grants. Some of the former are annual book awards with great public visibility.
Professional recognition awards
ALA Professional Recognition awards ALA Medal of Excellence. An annual award since 1953 for achievement for recent creative leadership of high order, particularly in the fields of library management, library training, cataloging and classification, and the tools and techniques of librarianship. American Library Association Equality Award in recognition of achievement for outstanding contributions toward promoting equality in the library profession.Equality Award.American Library Association. American Library Association Honorary Membership, the Association's highest honor may be conferred on a living citizen of any country whose contribution to librarianship or a closely related field is so outstanding that it is of lasting importance to the advancement of the whole field of library service. It is intended to reflect honor upon the ALA as well as upon the individual.Honorary Membership. American Library Association. Beta Phi Mu Award recognizing an individual for distinguished service to education for librarianship. Federal Achievement Award. Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Interest Group (FAFLIG). Military Libraries Week.MEMORANDUM FOR SENIOR PENTAGON LEADERSHIP DEFENSE AGENCY AND DOD FIELD ACTIVITY DIRECTORS. October 25, 2024. Herb Biblo Outstanding Leadership Award for Social Justice and Equality - administered by the Social Responsibilities Round Table to recognize an individual for outstanding leadership in promoting social justice and/or equality within the library profession. Elaine Harger named first recipient of SRRT's Herb Biblo Outstanding Leadership Award for Social Justice and Equality. American Library Association, February 2022. James Madison Award — administered by the Office for Government Relations, from 1989 annually honoring "individuals or groups who have championed, protected and promoted public access to government information and the public's right to know at the national level" Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture is presented at the annual conference of the American Library Association and is tribute to the work of Jean Ellen Coleman, founding director ALA Office for Library Outreach Services, to ensure that all citizens, particularly Native Americans and adult learners, have access to quality library services. John Sessions Memorial Award -administered by the Reference and User Services Association. Recognizes a library or library system which has made a significant effort to work with the labor community and by doing so has brought recognition to the history and contribution of the labor movement to the development of the United States. Joseph W. Lippincott Award. An annual award established in 1938 to a librarian for distinguished service to the profession of librarianship, such service to include outstanding participation in the activities of the professional library association, notable published professional writing, or other significant activity on behalf of the profession and its aims.Joseph W. Lippincott Award. Justin Winsor Prize (library) awarded by the Library History Round Table for the year's best library history essay. Phyllis Dain Library History Dissertation Award.
AIA/ALA Library Building Awards — co-sponsored by the American Institute of Architects, honoring excellence in library architecture and design
Book, print and media awards Key Award: Name of the award or list First: Year the honor was inaugurated (first awarded) Two years such as "1958 –1966" signify the honor has been discontinued and was last awarded in the latter year. Type: one of {Book, Career, Media, Print, Professional} Admin.: ALA Division responsible for the award Class: one of the following, if any Recommended lists ("Best of ...") = lists of multiple recommended works Youth Media Awards = honoring work(s) for children or young adults and/or their creators Libraries and librarianship = honoring work about libraries, etc. Mo.: Month of announcement + ALA Book, Print & Media AwardsAwardDescriptionFirstTypeAdmin.ClassMo.ABC-CLIO Online History AwardRecognizes a person or a group of people producing (1) a freely available online historical collection, or (2) an online tool tailored for the purpose of finding historical materials, or (3) an online teaching aid stimulating creative historical scholarship.2005-2009MediaRUSAABC-CLIO/Greenwood Award for Best Book in Library LiteratureTo recognize those who improve management principles and practice, understanding and application of new techniques, or further the education of librarians or other information specialists.2009–presentProfessional ALALibraries and librarianshipALA Notable listsNotable lists include ALA Notable Books for Adults, ALA Notable Children's Books, ALA Notable Children's Recordings, ALA Notable Children's Videos, ALA Notable Government Documents, ALA Notable Videos for Adults.variousRecommended lists ("Best of ...")variousAlex AwardsGiven to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18.1998–presentBookYALSARecommended lists ("Best of ...") Youth Media AwardsJanAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsTo select, annotate, and present for publication an annual list of notable audio recordings significant to young adults from those released in the past two years.1999–presentMediaYALSARecommended lists ("Best of ...")Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's VideoHonors outstanding video productions for children.1991–presentMediaALSCYouth Media AwardsJanAndrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and NonfictionRecognize the best fiction and nonfiction books for adult readers published in the U.S. the previous year. (set of 2 annual: fiction, nonfiction)2012–presentBookRUSAJuneAurianne Award"Recognize[d] outstanding books on animal life which may develop a humane attitude in children. Given for the best fiction or non-fiction book written for children between the ages of 8-14 years."1958-1966BookALSCYouth Media AwardsBest Apps for Teaching & Learning"Honors applications of exceptional value to inquiry-based teaching and learning as embodied in the American Association of School Librarians' Standards for the 21st-Century Learner."2013-2015MediaAASLYouth Media AwardsBest Fiction for Young Adults ("Best Books" to 2010)Recommended for ages 12–18, meet the criteria of both good quality literature and appealing reading for teens.BookYALSARecommended lists ("Best of ...")Best of the Best of the University PressesThis list highlights titles from the Best of the Best of University Presses that reflect a viewpoint and topical coverage not typically reflected in standard selection tools.2010–presentBookAASLRecommended lists ("Best of ...")Best Websites for Teaching & Learning"Honor[ed] websites, tools, and resources of exceptional value to inquiry-based teaching and learning as embodied in the American Association of School Librarians' Standards for the 21st-Century Learner."2013-2015MediaAASLYouth Media AwardsBeta Phi Mu/LRRT Research Paper Award"Recognize[d] excellent research into problems related to the profession of librarianship."LRRTBooklist Editors' ChoiceMultiple lists, including Adult Books, Adult Books for Young Adults, Books for Youth, Media, Reference Sources, and Booklist's Top of the List. Chosen by editors of Booklist magazine.2005–presentBookBooklistRecommended lists ("Best of ...")Children's Literature Legacy Award