George A. Smathers Libraries
Library Employee Excellence Awards
The Smathers Libraries Awards Program recognizes individual or group accomplishments in Behind the Scenes, Customer Service, Innovation, Instruction and Training, and Outreach. The awards are presented annually at the Smathers Libraries Convocation and include a certificate of distinction and $250.
All permanent George A. Smathers Libraries staff are eligible. Library Deans and the Employee Recognition Committee members are not eligible as individuals, but are eligible as part of a group/team. If nominated, they may not be in the review/selection process for the award. Library staff may be nominated in as many categories as applicable.
The Dean of University Libraries and Associate Deans will determine recipients for the awards. Awards will be presented at the Convocation.
To submit a nomination, please complete the online form by July 1. Please check with the nominee for his/her permission before submitting the nomination.
Questions may be submitted to the Employee Recognition Committee by e-mailing EmpRecogComm@uflib.ufl.edu.
Award Categories
Behind-the-Scenes Award
The Behind-the-Scenes Award celebrates the quiet dedication and performance that improve library or staff performance and is not always noticeable by patrons. For example, this may be an employee:
- Who improved methods of handling internal library tasks
- Whose skills, talents, and can-do attitude repeatedly and consistently supported and enabled others to perform their jobs or to accomplish a large and important project
- Who is an invaluable behind-the-scenes contributor who could be consistently relied upon by others for his or her highest standards
Customer Service Award
The Customer Service Award acknowledges 5 star performance in one or more of the following categories:
- Enhancement of quality customer service at the library
- Exceptional initiative in “going the extra mile”
- Top-notch service to internal and external customers with timely and appropriate follow-up
- Demonstrated improvement of customer service and satisfaction
Innovation Award
The Innovation Award honors creativity and/or problem solving skills that resulted in innovative methods, projects, products or organizational enhancements to improve library services, resources or operations. Areas of innovation include but are not limited to:
- Integrating the libraries into campus educational goals
- Creating or inventing a new program or tool
- Designing or implementing library cost-cutting measures
- Experimenting with and incorporating new technologies
Instruction and Training Award
The Instruction and Training Award salutes an instructor or trainer who demonstrated excellence in teaching or providing guidance to others. This exceptional mentor/teacher may have:
- Frequently and consistently surpassed normal Instruction/Mentoring expectations
- Shared knowledge that had an exceptional effect on the performance or career of others
- Demonstrated depth of knowledge, outstanding communication skills and/or special awareness of the needs of trainees
- Successfully used innovative training/teaching methods
Outreach Award
The Outreach Award honors an individual or group who made an outstanding effort in reaching out to the university and/or to an outside or donor community in a unique or creative way.
- Collaboration with faculty from university colleges and centers to help bring the libraries’ services and collections into their teaching and research
- Designed and instituted outreach activities, programs and/or workshops
