Education and Training Section

IFLA LIS Student Paper Award 2009

1. IFLA offers an “IFLA Library and Information Science (LIS) Student Paper Award”, coordinated by the IFLA Section Education and Training Standing Committee (SET SC).
2. Objectives of the Award
   • Encourage LIS students to submit papers regarding the current IFLA World Library and Information Congress theme.
   • Reward the best LIS student paper submission for the IFLA Congress each year.
   • Give LIS students the opportunity to take part in an IFLA Congress.
   • Give LIS students the chance to learn more about IFLA activities.
   • Prepare and encourage the new LIS Generation to participate in IFLA activities.
3. The target group is LIS students from all over the world, who are enrolled in a course of study for the “first professional qualification” (e.g. bachelor/graduate diploma/master) in the country of study. PhD students are not eligible for the award.
4. All IFLA Sections are requested to open their Call for Papers to students. Accepted student papers will be given either in the relevant Section’s conference session or, if appropriate, in the SET Open Session.
5. To help students with less experience in abstracts/paper writing, templates for both the abstract and the paper are published on the SET website, http://www.ifla.org/VII/s23/index.htm
6. To apply for the award, LIS students whose abstracts have been accepted by any IFLA Section should follow these guidelines:
   • Submit the following three (3) items:
     1. the full conference paper;
     2. copy of any IFLA Section's letter of acceptance;
     3. letter of recommendation from the student's LIS Professor.
   • Submissions must follow the templates, regarding the requirements for a structured abstract as well as for style, citations, references, etc.
   • Candidates should submit their applications by e-mail or by traditional mail to the:

     IFLA SET SC Secretary
     Dr. Petra Hauke
     Hochkalterweg 3a
     D-12107 Berlin, Germany
     E-mail: petra.hauke@...

   • Important submission deadlines:
     • 1st March 2009 – full paper submission,
     • 15th April 2009 – notification of award.
7. The criteria to measure quality and relevance of the papers are:
   • Related to the theme of the IFLA Congress and the sub theme/s of the relevant Section;
   • Relevance to current issues in the topic field including reference to appropriate literature;
   • Quality of ideas, methods, results or substance;
   • Quality of writing and referencing.
8. The papers will be reviewed by the IFLA LIS Student Paper Award Committee, consisting of current elected members of the SET SC. Up to three finalists will be recognized by the committee for their outstanding achievements. From these three finalists, one winner will be chosen to receive financial support to attend the IFLA Congress.
9. The 1st IFLA LIS Student Paper Award 2009 can include (if funds permit):
   • 1 year’s free IFLA membership,
   • Current IFLA Congress registration fee,
   • Grant for economy airfare and economical lodging,
   • Publication of the paper in the IFLA Journal.

   Second and third place finalists will receive a certificate. The possibility of offering a monetary award to the second and third place finalists will depend on the amount of sponsorship received.

10. The Award amount, sponsored by IFLA for the 75th World Library and Information Congress 2009 in Milan, Italy, is € 1,800. After that, the award is expected to be sponsored by companies serving libraries.