The Excellence in Library Research Award 

The Library Research Awards program recognizes UNE students who demonstrate exceptional skill in the pursuit of library and information resources for academic research. Submissions will be reviewed according to set contest evaluation criteria.

The participant with the top marks will win a gift card for $75 and the runner up will win a gift card for $50.  

Eligibility Requirements

1. Must have attended a library research instruction session OR an individual research consultation with a University of New England Research and Teaching Librarian. Request an appointment.  
2. Research must make use of UNE library collections or subscription resources, or those obtained from other libraries through UNE Interlibrary Loan. Sources can be of any type.
3. Submissions must be your own original work and submitted in the semester in which they are produced.

To Apply

Applications for the award should consist of:

• A 250-word essay, or an equivalent course assignment, reflecting on the search process which informed the development of your research project. Be specific.
• A critical appraisal of the research utilized. Explain why the resource or study impacts the quality of your assignment and why you chose to include it.  Offer a clear demonstration that you understand the resource’s strengths and weaknesses in relation to your own research and assess the source’s reliability, validity, bias, conclusions, and methodology.  We recommend you use an evaluation tool , our Evidence Based Practice webpages, or an assessment tool provided by your course instructor.  Include a properly formatted citation for each resource using the citation style for your assignment.

Applications must be received by April 6, 2025. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of librarians.

Questions & Help

Contact research and teaching librarian Shannon Yarbrough with questions about the UNE Excellence in Library Research Award, eligibility requirements, or for help completing your application.