Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Justin Winsor Prize of the American Library Association Library History Round Table

The Justin Winsor Prize is presented by the Library History Round Table of the American Library Association each year to recognize the best essay written in English on library history, including the history of libraries, librarianship, and book culture.

The award honors Justin Winsor, distinguished 19th century librarian, historian, and bibliographer. The winning essayist will receive a $500 prize and an invitation to submit the winner paper for consideration by the journal Libraries & the Cultural Record.

Eligibility and criteria. Manuscripts submitted should not have been previously published, submitted for publication, or under consideration for publication or for another award. Entries should embody original historical research on a significant topic in library history, based on primary source materials whenever possible, and written in a superior style. If a suitable candidate is not found, the award will not be presented in that year.

Essays should be organized in a form similar to that of articles published in Libraries & the Cultural Record, with footnotes, spelling, and punctuation conforming to the latest edition of the Chicago Manual of Style. Papers should not exceed 35 double-spaced pages (plus footnotes and bibliography). Please see http://www.utexas.edu/utpress/journals/jlc.html for more information about the journal.

Submission process: Three copies of the manuscript should be submitted. The name and other information identifying the author should appear only on a separate cover letter. Fax and e-mail submissions are not acceptable. Applications must be received by
February 29, 2008. Send manuscripts to:

Letitia Earvin
Program Coordinator
American Library Association/LHRT
Office of Research and Statistics
50 E. Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611

The Justin Winsor Prize will be presented at the Library History Round Table awards ceremony during the annual conference of the American Library Association.