The Undergraduate Student Award is presented to a student in recognition of their important role and valuable contributions to the UT Libraries through a commitment to personal excellence in their job performance. An undergraduate student must be employed for at least two semesters in order to be considered for this award. Nominations must include specific examples of the undergraduate student’s superior job performance, innovation, leadership, and commitment to overall excellence.
Amount of Award: $100
Graduate Student Award
The Graduate Student Award is presented to a student in recognition of their important role and valuable contributions to the UT Libraries through a commitment to personal excellence in their job performance. A graduate student must be employed for at least two semesters in order to be considered for this award. Nominations must include specific examples of the graduate student’s superior job performance, innovation, leadership, and commitment to overall excellence.
Amount of Award: $100
Paul E. Trentham, Sr., Teamwork Award
The Teamwork Award is given to a team, committee, or task force by recognizing the completion and successful implementation of a specific task or project during the past two years that had a positive impact. Candidates should have contributed to the Libraries by completing a project that had a significant impact on the UT Libraries’ collections, facilities, services, and/or systems. The positive impact could be in the way of cost savings, streamlined processes, and/or enhanced services. Self-nomination of the Team is acceptable. This award is given out at the discretion of the Dean.
This award is endowed by the Paul E. Trentham Sr. Library Staff Award for Exemplary Service Endowment.
Amount of Award: $100/team member
Paul E. Trentham, Sr., Library Partner Award
The Library Partner Award is given to an individual member of the UT Knoxville campus community that made a positive and substantial impact on the UT Libraries. Candidates should have made a contribution that resulted in a significant improvement to the Libraries’ system and its services, contributed to a major project or operation, and/or provided a special service to the Libraries. This award is given out at the discretion of the Dean.
This award is endowed by the Paul E. Trentham Sr. Library Staff Award for Exemplary Service Endowment.
Amount of Award: $300
Rookie of the Year Award
Awarded to a new UT Libraries faculty or staff member, (employed full-time by UT Libraries less than 3 years), who have demonstrated the initiative, creativity, and ability to make significant contributions to the library within the first three years.
Nominations should demonstrate leadership and providing guidance in interacting with the public and other employees. Some of the aspects of the nomination could include the developing, implementing, and fostering advances in library operations, creative services, and/or successful programs. Enhancing the user experience through creative applications of information technology. Successful efforts in marketing and promoting services to library users. Changing physical and/or attitudinal barriers. Enhancing and promoting quality, and exhibiting an exceptional spirit of service to others.
Amount of Award: $300
Library Unsung Hero
The UT Libraries Unsung Hero award was created to honor an outstanding UT Libraries Faculty or Staff member who rarely, if ever, receive the recognition they deserve. An unsung hero is someone who often works behind-the-scenes, without fuss or great acknowledgement or recognition, to carry out work essential for the smooth functioning of his/her department or UT Libraries as a whole. Unsung Heroes attributes include incredible work ethic, loyalty, resiliency, civility, creativity, and commitment to the organization. An unsung hero may:
Consistently strive to provide better service to students, faculty, and staff.
Recognize the negative effects of cynicism and work actively to create a positive environment.
Do whatever it takes to get the job done
Quietly put the organizations interests first
Face challenging situations with good humor and perspective.
Nominees must embody some of the listed attributes as well as demonstrated service and support of the UT Libraries. Nominees must also be current full-time faculty or staff. Nominations must include concrete examples and explanations.
Amount: $300
Library Society Service Endowment Award for Extraordinary Customer Service
This award is presented to a member of the UT Libraries faculty or staff who is consistently optimistic and shows extraordinary initiative in customer service. A customer is defined broadly – including patrons, other UT Libraries faculty, and staff, and/or other members of the UT campus community. The committee specifically values the following attributes in a nominee:
Collaborative responses;
Serve our users with excellence and compassion;
Proactive approaches and creative solutions to problems and/or requests;
Respect for all questions and best available answers;
Foster a diverse and inclusive environment marked by integrity and civility;
Courteous and timely service;
Knowledgeable, attentive, and non-judgmental fulfillment of all requests;
Act as a good steward of our collections and resources; and
Ensure equitable access to information.
The nominee does not have to embody all of the attributes, but the nominator should be able to give concrete examples and explanations of the attributes the nominee does embody for consideration.
This award is endowed by the UT Library Friends Service Endowment which is in honor of late Professor Al Keally who taught Industrial Management in the College of Business Administration from 1948 – 1976. Professor Keally was an advocate for the University Libraries and appreciated librarians.
Amount of Award: $500
Paul M. and Marion T. Miles Innovation Award
The Innovation Award is given to an individual(s) in recognition of creative thinking that has improved the UT Libraries’ internal efficiency and services to the public. Nominations for this award are eligible only if the project/initiative is currently underway or has been completed. Self-nomination is acceptable for this award.
In addition, nominations must meet the following criteria:
While collaboration is not discouraged, the application must be submitted under an individual’s name.
In the event of a tie, the date of application submission will be the deciding factor in determining a winner among nominations of equal quality.
The committee reserves the right to confer with appropriate experts in determining a winner.
The committee highly values the following criteria: completeness, originality, and practicality.
Submit only one application for each project/proposal
More than one individual can be recognized for an innovation award, but only one application for the project/proposal should be submitted.
This award is given out at the discretion of the Dean.
This award is endowed by the Paul M. and Marion T. Miles Employee Incentive Award Endowment.
Amount of Award: $500
Outstanding Staff Member Award
The UT Libraries Outstanding Staff Member Award is given to a staff member who has accomplished outstanding achievements in their respective job assignments and supported the fulfillment of the UT Libraries mission. An outstanding staff member is one who serves with a dedication to excellence, often goes above and beyond expectations in providing service to students, faculty and staff, and consistently works to promote the UT Libraries. The nomination must include specific examples of the contributions and accomplishments that the staff member has made and give definitive reason as to why they deserve the award.
Amount: $500
Outstanding Faculty Member Award
The UT Libraries Outstanding Faculty Member Award is given to a faculty member who exemplifies the qualities of an accomplished faculty member. The award is to acknowledge and honor the efforts and achievements of the faculty member who has demonstrated a continuous commitment to excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, creative activity, public service, and the educational vision of the UT Libraries. The nomination must include specific examples of the contributions and accomplishments that the faculty member has made.
Amount: $500
Paul E. Trentham, Sr., Dean’s Award for Excellence in Professional Performance.
The Dean’s Award is given to UT Libraries faculty or staff member that has made significant contributions to the Libraries over a period of years and/or recently contributed to a special effort or project on the Libraries’ behalf.
A nominee may:
Embody and demonstrate the highest values of the University of Tennessee and the UT Libraries through leadership and service.
Through both action and support of others, work to advance the UT Libraries.
Demonstrate a commitment to excellence and superior dedication.
Achieve extraordinary accomplishments and strive for outstanding performance.
Although the award is designed for individual recipients, groups and teams may also be considered. Nominations must include specific examples of the contributions and accomplishments faculty or staff member has made. The nomination can include information outside of the current nomination year. The nomination should also give a definitive reason as to why the nominee deserves the award.This award is given out at the discretion of the Dean.
This award is endowed by the Paul E. Trentham, Sr., Library Staff Award for Exemplary Service Endowment.