Distinguished Alumni Award
In 1981, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the School of Library Science the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the anniversary committee created awards recognizing the achievement of School alumni and noting specific scholarly research or service contributions to the profession of librarianship. Following the establishment of a Master Science in Information Science (MSIS) degree, outstanding accomplishments in information science have also been recognized.
Awards are given to alumni who demonstrate a high degree of professionalism and outstanding service to the UNC School of Information and Library Science or its Alumni Association, and show commitment to librarianship or information science. Alumni are considered for recognition for outstanding professional library or information science achievements at national, state, or local levels. Click here for a list of previous award winners.
To recommend an alumna or alumnus for the Distinguished Alumni Award, please review the nomination guidelines and then complete the nomination form.
Outstanding Service to the School Award
SILSAA recognizes students who provide outstanding service to the School of Information and Library Science. Each spring, the Alumni Association asks the School to nominate a worthy candidate. The student selected receives a monetary award of $50 and a framed certificate at spring commencement. When appropriate, more than one student may be chosen to receive the award. Click here for a list of previous winners.
Elfreda Chatman Research Awards
The Chatman awards are given to masters' students who demonstrate creative and scholarly vision in their research proposals. The award was created by the SILS Alumni Association in 2002 to honor Dr. Chatman's interest in original research. Proposals submitted as part of the Proposal Development (INLS 781) course are eligible for this award. Click here for a list of previous winners.
The jury is made up of two or three SILS full-time faculty members, plus one representative from the SILS Alumni Association. Faculty members who taught INLS 781 during the award period may not serve on the jury. Deliberation and decisions will be made in late December/early January for proposals nominated in the fall, and in August for proposals nominated in the spring.
