Awards & Grants

The following grants and awards are offered by the Research Instruction & Patron Services Special Interest Section (RIPS-SIS) to eligible members of RIPS-SIS. Non-members can join RIPS-SIS when submitting a grant application. Please note that current RIPS-SIS Executive Board members and current members of the RIPS-SIS Grants Committee are ineligible for grants and awards.

PAUL GATZ RIPS-SIS PUBLICATION AWARD

DEADLINE

The deadline for nominations for the Paul Gatz RIPS-SIS Publication Award will be April 12, 2024.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the award is to recognize excellence in writing by a current RIPS-SIS member. The award was named in honor of Paul Gatz in 2020.

Paul Gatz personified the RIPS-SIS ethos of librarianship in his too brief but highly impactful law librarianship career. Paul became a law librarian in 2014, first serving as a reference and student services librarian at Texas Tech University School of Law Library and then as a reference librarian at the Moritz Law Library at The Ohio State University. He passed away of cancer in January of 2020.

Throughout that time, he contributed significantly to the RIPS-SIS agenda, both as a board member and through his thoughtful and inspirational posts on the RIPS-SIS blog. Paul encouraged all of us to think deeply about what it means to be a librarian, how best to teach legal research, and what roles libraries play. As he noted, librarians are central to the library:

“It is the presence of the human in the library – in the systems we create, the collections we curate, and the relationships we build – that facilitate the transformation of the torrent of information into the clear skies of understanding. It is why we must treat our work with the greatest of care and not slide into the mechanical boredom associated with the cycle of checklists and deadlines. It is the caring that is the work of librarianship – that is what it means ‘to library.’ And that is what makes the library necessary.”

CRITERIA

The material must be authored by a current RIPS-SIS member. For co-authored works, at least one author must be a current member of RIPS-SIS. Nominated articles for each year’s award must have been published in the previous calendar year (i.e., published in 2022 for the 2023 award deadline). Materials may have appeared in any format (paper or electronic) and in any publication including AALL publications, chapter newsletters, non-AALL publications, or in-house publications. Any aspect of law librarianship may be addressed, but preference will be given to articles related to research instruction or patron services.

Materials are evaluated on:

  • Relevance of topic to RIPS-SIS members;
  • Quality of writing or presentation;
  • Effectiveness of communication technique; and
  • Quality of research (if applicable)

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE

Any RIPS-SIS member may nominate works authored by themselves or another member. Please email articles to the RIPS-SIS Grants Committee Chair along with a brief explanation by the nominator of why the publication should be considered for the award. While at least one author of a nominated publication must be a RIPS-SIS member, nominators need not be members of RIPS-SIS, but nominators must be AALL members. Awards may not be presented in a given year at the discretion of the Grants Committee if it feels that no articles meet the required criteria.

LIST OF PAST WINNERS OF THE PAUL GATZ RIPS-SIS PUBLICATION AWARD

2023: Mari Cheney & Heather J. E. Simmons, A Body Without a Soul: Why Print Still Matters in Legal Research, 42 Legal Reference Services Quarterly 2 (2023)

2022: Bonnie Shucha, Representing Law Faculty Scholarly Impact: Strategies for Improving Citation Metrics Accuracy and Promoting Scholarly Visibility. 40 Legal Reference Services Quarterly 81 (2021)

2020: Mari Cheney, Best Practices for Supporting Hearing-Impaired Law Library Patrons, 16 Public Services Quarterly 206 (2020).

2019: Stefanie Pearlman, Persuasive Authority and the Nebraska Supreme Court: Are Certain Jurisdictions or Secondary Resources More Persuasive Than Others, The Nebraska Lawyer 33 (March / April 2018).

2018: Sherry Leysen & Alena Wolotira, Multinational Sources Compared: A Subject and Jurisdiction Index (2017).

RIPS-SIS SERVICE AWARD

DEADLINE

The deadline for nominations for the RIPS-SIS Service Award will be April 12, 2024.

PURPOSE

The RIPS-SIS Service Award honors a RIPS-SIS member who has made outstanding contributions to RIPS-SIS in areas of section activity and professional service. Awards may not be presented in a given year at the discretion of the Grants Committee.

CRITERIA

Nominees must be an active or retired member of RIPS-SIS. Nominees may excel in one or more of the following areas:

  • Excellent leadership in RIPS-SIS, at meetings, and in committees;
  • Special and notable service to RIPS-SIS, such as participation in special projects;
  • Participation in RIPS-SIS education programs and public speaking activities;
  • Mentoring activities which encourage others in RIPS-SIS.

The above is not intended to be an exhaustive list of criteria. Individuals whose contributions to RIPS-SIS take other forms may also be nominated and considered for the award.

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE

Email materials to the RIPS-SIS Grants Committee Chair. Any RIPS-SIS member may nominate themselves or another member. Nominations must include:

  • A letter of nomination, including the candidate’s full name, title, and institution name/address. If the candidate is retired, include name, home address, and most recent former employer;
  • A narrative supporting the nomination, including a discussion of the candidate’s contributions to RIPS-SIS;
  • A curriculum vitae of the candidate; and
  • The name, email, address, and phone number of the nominating party.

LIST OF PAST WINNERS OF THE RIPS-SIS SERVICE AWARD

2023: Taryn Marks
2022: Laura Ax-Fultz
2021: Heather Joy
2020: Alyson Drake
2019: Jenny Wondracek
2018: Karin Johnsrud

RIPS-SIS ANNUAL MEETING GRANT

DEADLINE

The deadline for applications for the Annual Meeting Grant will be April 12, 2024.

PURPOSE

The Research Instruction and Patron Services Special Interest Section (RIPS-SIS) AALL Annual Meeting Grant is designed to assist individuals’ expenses related to attending the AALL Annual Meeting. Individuals who are chosen to receive the grant have the potential to make a significant contribution to law librarianship through involvement with AALL and RIPS-SIS. The grants are funded by RIPS-SIS and awarded by the RIPS-SIS Grants Committee.

CRITERIA

Applicants must be current AALL and RIPS-SIS members. In the event that circumstances prevent the use of the grant by the grant recipient, the grant shall revert back to RIPS-SIS. If a grant recipient receives an additional grant, the recipient must inform RIPS-SIS of the award and the amount, as RIPS-SIS reserves the right to withdraw or modify the grant in this circumstance.

Recipients will be awarded a grant that can be used for meeting registration or travel (hotel, airfare, bus, or train); receipts must be provided for reimbursement. The amount of the grant will vary depending on applicant worthiness and financial need. The amount will not exceed $1500. Grant recipients will also receive an appointment to a RIPS-SIS committee. In exchange for receiving the grant, recipients will be required to write an article for the RIPS-SIS blog.

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE

Email materials to the RIPS-SIS Grants Committee Chair as a single PDF attachment. Applications must include:

RIPS-SIS ANNUAL MEETING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION GRANT

RIPS-SIS is pleased to announce a new grant opportunity for Annual Meeting attendance, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Grant.

Deadline

The deadline for applications for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Grant will be April 12, 2024.

Purpose

The Research Instruction and Patron Services Special Interest Section [RIPS-SIS] Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Grant supports the Association’s core goal of commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and RIPS-SIS’ commitment to a diverse membership. Individuals chosen to receive the grant will receive funds to assist with expenses relating to the AALL Annual Meeting. The grant is funded by RIPS-SIS and awarded by the RIPS-SIS Grants Committee.

Criteria

To be eligible, applicants must be members of RIPS-SIS when they apply. Members of the RIPS-SIS Executive Board and Grants Committee are ineligible to apply. In the event that circumstances prevent the use of the grant by the grant recipient, the grant shall revert back to RIPS-SIS. If a grant recipient receives an additional grant, the recipient must inform RIPS-SIS of the award and the amount, as RIPS-SIS reserves the right to withdraw or modify the grant in this circumstance.

Eligible expenses include the cost for Annual Meeting registration, travel costs, and housing/hotel costs.

Submission Procedure

Email materials to the RIPS-SIS Grants Committee Chair as a single PDF attachment. Applications must include:

  • A completed application form;
  • A one-page statement of eligibility addressing the applicant’s identification with a diverse or underrepresented group. Diversity refers to all manners of diversity, including race, gender, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other unique attribute. The statement should specifically address how the grant will help the applicant contribute to the goal of diversity in the law library profession.

Contact the RIPS-SIS Grants Committee Chair with any questions.

RIPS-SIS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY GRANT

DEADLINE

The deadline for grant applications for the AALL Leadership Academy will be February 9, 2024.

PURPOSE

The RIPS-SIS Leadership Academy Grant is designed to provide financial support to an attendee of the AALL Leadership Academy, held every other spring in Chicago. The grants are funded by RIPS-SIS and awarded by the RIPS-SIS Grants Committee.

CRITERIA

Applicants must be a current RIPS-SIS members to be considered for the grant. Applicants must have been selected to attend the AALL Leadership Academy.

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE

Email materials to the RIPS-SIS Grants Committee Chair as a single PDF attachment. Applications must include:

RIPS-SIS MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE GRANT

PURPOSE

The RIPS-SIS Management Institute Grant is designed to provide financial support to an attendee of the AALL Management Institute. The grants are funded by RIPS-SIS and awarded by the RIPS-SIS Grants Committee.

DEADLINE

The next AALL Management Institute is scheduled for 2025. A grant application deadline will be announced at a later date.

CRITERIA

Applicants must be a current RIPS-SIS member to be considered for the grant. Applicants must have been selected to attend the AALL Management Institute.

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE

Email materials to the RIPS-SIS Grants Committee Chair as a single PDF attachment. Applications must include:

  • A completed application form;
  • A personal statement;
  • A letter of recommendation

RIPS-SIS TEACHING THE TEACHERS CONFERENCE GRANT

DEADLINE

The RIPS-SIS Leadership Academy Grant application deadline is March 1, 2024.

PURPOSE

The RIPS-SIS Teaching the Teachers Conference Grant is designed to provide financial support to an attendee of the Teaching the Teachers Conference. The grants are funded by RIPS-SIS and awarded by the RIPS-SIS Grants Committee.

CRITERIA

Applicants must be a current RIPS-SIS members to be considered for the grant. Applicants must have been selected to attend the Teaching the Teachers Conference.

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE

Email materials to the RIPS-SIS Grants Committee Chair as a single PDF attachment. Applications must include: