Awards

University Librarian Recognition Award

Eligibility: Any individual at the University of Michigan who holds a Primary Faculty appointment as Librarian, Archivist, or Curator, with no more than eight years’ practice in his or her profession.

Award: The recipient will be awarded $1,000 to commemorate the honor to be conferred at the annual Faculty Awards occasion.

Selection Criteria: Active and innovative early-career achievement in library, archival or curatorial services. This may include developing specialized services for faculty and students, improving access to information, or efficiently managing the library and archival resources (staff, space, funding, collections).

Please submit nomination materials with the librarian awards nomination form. The deadline for the 2024 award cycle is May 3, 2024.

  • A statement of the nominee’s achievements in library, archival or curatorial activities. (Required)
  • A current curriculum vitae. (Required)
  • Internal letters of support from within the nominee’s appointment unit (U-M Library or other) (Required)
  • External letters of support from outside the nominee’s appointment unit (Required). NOTE: No fewer than 3 letters of support should be from external sources. The external letters of support may be from within or from outside the University.

Note: Nominees are eligible for three years: the current year and, if not selected, they will also be automatically included in the pool of candidates for the next two award cycles.

Denise Leyton - 2023 Award Recipient

Associate librarian, strategic projects coordinator in library environments in the U-M Library

 

 

 

 

Leyton is a champion of change. A two-time U-M graduate, she has led the creation and implementation of systems and services that have improved the operations of the U-M Library. She also worked to make well-being a central, cultural priority benefitting the campus community. Leyton began her career as a library student worker, progressing to library staffer and, in 2015, to librarian. She is a holistic thinker and collaborative leader who advances the library’s mission as “a platform that enables discovery, teaching, learning, health, invention and creative expression.” Leyton utilizes a variety of assessment methods to identify needs and then builds teams to formulate solutions. She proposed a data-driven reporting and evaluation plan to understand the use of the library’s public spaces, service points and collection methods over time to better align resources with user needs. Leyton was pivotal in launching the first Week of Wellness, a multifaceted effort to promote student self-care and well-being. She also was instrumental in the creation of the Student Parent and Caregiver Study Room, a dedicated space for an underserved population.

The 2023 awardee information (above) was written and provided by the Office of University Development, as published in a University Record article.

Previous University Librarian Recognition Award Recipients

2022 — Callum Carr, UM-Flint, Archivist

2021 — Leigh Billings, University Library, Metadata Management

2020 — Liangyu Fu, University Library, Chinese Studies

2019 — Jungwon Yang, University Library, International Government Information and Public Policy

2017 — Jo Angela (Angie) Oehrli, University Library, Learning and Teaching

2016 — Mara Blake, University Library

2015 — Marci Brandenburg, University Library, Health Sciences

2014 — Evyn Kropf, Senior Associate Librarian, Library Research – International Studies

2013 — Jamie Lausch Vander Broek, Associate Librarian, Library Research

2012 — Suzanne Chapman, University Library

2011 — Loyd Mbabu, University Library

2010 — Jean Song, University Library, Health Sciences

2009 — Jennifer Green, University Library

2008 — Donna Hayward, Associate Dean of Libraries and Librarian for Budget and Planning

2007 — Gupreet Rana, University Library

2006 — Annette Haines, University Library

2005 — Maria Bonn, University Library

2004 — Mary Rader, University Library

2003 — Susan Hollar, University Library