WebJunction

Overview

WebJunction's annual Awards program was created to highlight the extraordinary work of libraries in the United States, Tribal and First Nations, and Canada that are committed to providing public access to technology and information in their communities.

The libraries eligible for consideration were located in one of the 50 states, the six jurisdictional territories of the US, Tribal and First Nation community organizations, or Canada, and they provided more than 20 hours per week of public access to the Internet.

Awards were selected quarterly in one of the four categories described below. Up to five selections were made by WebJunction's Awards Jury in each category, depending on the number of entries/nominations and the level of patrons served. The jury was made up of Advisory Committee members and library staff peers. Program rules and entry requirements were developed and supported by the entire WebJunction community.

All entries were awarded a copy of Technology Literacy Benchmarks for Nonprofit Organizations (written by NPower and published by the Benton Foundation). The winners were featured on the WJ home page and in the Crossroads newsletter. A grand prize winner in each category was selected annually and honored in WebJunction's annual awards ceremony. Each grand prize winner was awarded a cash prize of $500.

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Category Descriptions

Technology Planning

Having a technology plan offers the most effective way to implement technology throughout an organization. This category highlights effective technology planning and the effects it had on programming, including how it positively affected budgeting decisions and long-term sustainability, helped clarify organizational priorities, and allowed partners to provide more effective services through better planning. Criteria include:

• Effect on long-term sustainability
• Replicability
• Creativity and innovation

Here are the questions answered by each nominee for this category:

1. Please provide a brief description of the “technology planning” program you’re nominating for a WJ Award.
2. Has the technology plan changed or clarified your organization’s goals or plans? How?
3. Has the technology plan affected the long-term effectiveness and/or sustainability of technology in the library? How?
4. What have been the impacts and results of the program on programs and service in the library? You may describe impact/results for both patrons and staff.
5. What is creative or innovative about the program? What sets it apart from other library programs?
6. How can this program be replicated in other communities? Did you document your progress, lessons learned, or share your success with other libraries, for example?

Check out our Winners Archive for examples of winning entries in this category.

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Innovative Content and Uses of Technology

This category highlights content that is fresh, new and innovative, as well as innovative uses of technology. This category does NOT exclusively review new uses of technology. Instead, it also includes already existing content or programs that are being used in new and innovative ways to address specific needs of communities. The content can be created by the library or in partnership with another organization. Criteria include:

• Replicability
• Meeting community needs for access and services (what they were and how they were met)
• Creativity and innovation

Here are the questions answered by each nominee for this category:

1. Please provide a brief description of the “innovative content and/or use of technology” program you’re nominating for a WJ Award.
2. Describe the community's need for this program. How were the needs determined?
3. How does this program address these needs, once determined?
4. What have been the impacts and results of the program on programs and service in the library? You may describe impact/results for both patrons and staff.
5. What is creative or innovative about the program? What sets it apart from other library programs?
6. How can this program be replicated in other communities? Did you document your progress, lessons learned, or share your success with other libraries, for example?

Check out our Winners Archive for examples of winning entries in this category.

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Building Digital Opportunities through Community Engagement

This category highlights innovative library programs that are effectively reaching local communities, especially communities that would otherwise not have access to the Internet. Services can include creating content for specific audiences (such as seniors and children) or specific community needs (such as housing or recreational activities), increasing access to the Internet for underserved groups, and building partnerships in the community to further these goals. Special consideration was given to programs that engage their targeted audiences and work with them to create needed services. Criteria include:

• Engaging and working with (not for) the target community
• Establishing capacity in the community
• Serving strongly defined underserved and underrepresented communities
• Meeting community needs for access and services (what they were and how were they met)
• Creativity and innovation
• Replicability

Here are the questions answered by each nominee for this category:

1. Please provide a brief description of the “building digital opportunity through community engagement” program you’re nominating for a WJ Award.
2. What target community are you working with and how is it underrepresented or underserved?
3. How was the target community engaged in developing and implementing the program?
4. What capacity have you helped to establish in the community through this program? What are they able to do that they weren’t able to do before the program?
5. What have been the impacts and results of the program on programs and service in the library? You may describe impact/results for both patrons and staff.
6. What is creative or innovative about the program? What sets it apart from other library programs?
7. How can this program be replicated in other communities? Did you document your progress, lessons learned, or share your success with other libraries, for example?

Check out our Winners Archive for examples of winning entries in this category.

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Sustainability

This category highlights innovative ways that organizations are securing funding and other resources, such as hardware, software, volunteers, and outreach. It also can include how organizations are partnering with others in the community to build public and private support for their public access programs that are leading to longer sustainability. Criteria include:

• Replicability
• Creativity and innovation
• Long-term impact

Here are the questions answered by each nominee for this category:

1. Please provide a brief description of the “sustainability” program you’re nominating for a WJ Award.
2. Describe the specific funding and/or resources that were creatively solicited and/or obtained as part of this program.
3. Describe the partnerships engaged in this sustainability program, and how partners are helping build long-term sustainability.
4. What have been the impacts and results of the program on programs and service in the library? You may describe impact/results for both patrons and staff.
5. What is creative or innovative about the program? What sets it apart from other library programs?
6. How can this program be replicated in other communities? Did you document your progress, lessons learned, or share your success with other libraries, for example?

Check out our Winners Archive for examples of winning entries in this category.

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