Library Award for Undergraduate Research: Increasing the Library Profile

Abstract

Offering a library award program is an effective way of strengthening the ties between subject librarians and teaching faculty, while providing a mechanism to preserve undergraduate student research. This program not only increases the perceived value of library services but also promotes librarians’ expertise as educators and instructors. This case study of implementing such a program at the University of Maryland College Park reviews library award models across the United States and Canada identifying best practices so that others may draw success from the authors’ experience and effective promotional efforts. The authors also hope to provide ideas for improvement and further award development for those with an award program in place.