UKSG and NASIG are delighted to announce the 2018 winners of its annual John Merriman Award, named is set up in recognition of the founder of both UKSG and NASIG.
– Helen Monagle, Manchester Metropolitan University, will receive funding from award sponsor Taylor & Francis to attend the 2018 NASIG Conference in Atlanta, GA with additional support from UKSG to attend the 2018 UKSG Conference in Glasgow in April.
– Shannon Keller, of the New York Public Library, will receive funding to attend the 2018 UKSG Conference in Glasgow.
The award gives members of UKSG and its sibling organisation NASIG the opportunity to broaden their knowledge of issues affecting libraries, and the chance to explore innovative ideas for the strategic development of libraries. It is open to members of UKSG and NASIG, who are in a functional position within a library or information service, with direct responsibility for managing information resources, or those in direct contact with library users, supporting them in the use of resources. Applicants were required to write a short paper on the topic ‘What is the biggest challenge facing you in your current job and how, in an ideal world, would you address it?’, and a paragraph describing what they hoped to achieve by attending the NASIG or UKSG conference.
The Education Subcommittee of UKSG, which selects the winning UKSG applicant, used the following criteria in the decision-making process:
- Evidence that applicant can demonstrate innovation & initiative
- Evidence that attendance at the conference would facilitate networking and exchange of ideas
- Evidence that the applicant would be able to apply their knowledge in the workplace
- Evidence that the applicant would effectively disseminate ideas/knowledge gained from the conference
We are grateful to its Merriman Award sponsor, Taylor & Francis, which makes a generous contribution toward the costs of travel, accommodation and associated expenses.
Lisa Mahan, Global Marketing Director at Taylor & Francis explains why the organisation sponsors the Award: “The UKSG and NASIG conferences give librarians, publishers and agents the perfect opportunities to discuss issues, initiatives, and ideas of common interest. By sponsoring the John Merriman Award, Taylor & Francis is pleased to help bring these communities together to navigate and shape the shifting library and information landscape.”
Anna Grigson
UKSG Education Officer
