Creativity, value and impact: a call for nominations for CoLRiC’s 2023 national awards

Since its inception in 1993, the Council for Learning Resources in Colleges (CoLRiC) has been the voice of Further Education and Sixth Form College Libraries and Learning Resource Services, encouraging and celebrating creativity, enterprise and innovation.

We are an independent organisation that represents a diverse group of college librarians and learning resource professionals across the UK, advocating and championing quality and exemplary practice across the educational sector; supporting our members in evidencing the impact and value that they bring to teaching, learning and the student experience.

All our members have access to a portfolio of CoLRiC publications and resources. These include free attendance at online seminars, discussions and presentations, four issues of our e-newsletter CoLRiC Impact published over an academic year and access to our private members’ discussion forum.

Another significant benefit of CoLRiC membership is the eligibility to nominate a team or individual for our two national awards. Every year we issue a call for nominations that demonstrate the quality, excellence and organisational impact of service provision on the teaching, learning and student experience. It provides an opportunity to take stock, reflect on and evaluate your contributions to college life. 

Partnerships and dialogue with students, teaching and support staff are essential to develop and deliver relevant, flexible and dynamic student services. We want to encourage you to showcase your creativity, enthusiasm and proactivity in the delivery of library and learning resource services, and are delighted to announce that nominations for 2023 are still open for the:

• CoLRiC Innovative Practice Award (CIPA)
• Jeff Cooper Inspirational Information Professional of the Year Award

All nominations will be reviewed, scored and shortlisted by a judging panel comprising an external library and information services expert and members of CoLRiC’s Executive Committee. The panel will be looking for commitment to student academic, personal and vocational development and lifelong learning alongside engagement with academic staff, curriculum colleagues, professional services and students.

CIPA is a team award. It celebrates innovative teamworking, imaginative and exceptional service developments and projects.

The Jeff Cooper Inspirational Information Professional of the Year Award is named in honour of CoLRiC’s founder and will be presented to an outstanding and enthusiastic individual who has a proven commitment to library and learning resource services, student support and development. The nominee could work at any level in the service, from a library assistant to a senior manager.

In our 30^th anniversary year we encourage imaginative and inspiring nominations of any kind. These might take the form of a major project or a business-as-usual service enhancement that has generated positive feedback and encouraged student participation and engagement.

Nominations in support of any resource or service will be considered by the judging panel. Examples include digital/information literacy, reading and numeracy, marketing and social media, physical and digital study environments, student and teaching staff engagement, contributions to curriculum and course planning and learning resources development and management, for example.

For more information, visit the CoLRiC website.

The closing date for award nominations is 6 pm on Friday 14th July 2023.