Alan Ball Award – submit your nominations
The CILIP Local Studies Group is calling for submissions to the Alan Ball Award for Local History publishing for material, printed or digital, published in 2013 and 2014.
Background
The Alan Ball Local History Awards were established by the Library Services Trust in 1985 to encourage local history publishing by public libraries and local authorities. The awards were named after Alan W. Ball, a former Chief Librarian of the London Borough of Harrow, and author of many local history publications.
Following discussions with the Library Services Trust we are pleased so say that CILIP LSG will take on the administration, judging and promotion of the award. This has always been a prestigious award within the library and information community, especially for Local Studies services, and the LSG is honored to be involved with it. Traditionally, the award has been for printed materials, although more recently electronic information such as websites have been considered. The LSG committee has consulted with a number of stakeholders and it is clear that the award is still very popular; but as a result of the consultation we have decided to update and expand the criteria, so we are hoping for a bumper crop of submissions this year.
Criteria
There will be two awards this year. One for printed material and another for digital. Printed material might include books, pamphlets and guides etc.; while digital submission might include websites, apps, video, animation and some aspects of social media, such as blogs. We are interested in both the quality and usefulness of the content, and also how it engages the reader or user, especially new users.
The award will now be open to all heritage and community organisations involved with some aspect of Local History and who receive or have received public funding. This also includes lottery funding, e.g. Heritage Lottery Fund and Awards for All. In addition to local authority libraries, archives, museum and archaeology services; it includes small local museums, heritage centres and community history projects.
Submitting your publications
We will need submissions to be with us by 1st October 2015, for materials published in 2013 or 2014. Ideally we would like a hard copy of any printed item you submit. For digital items, please send any CDs or DVDs, or let us know how we can access websites, apps, blogs etc. Contact Terry Bracher (Chairman of CILIP LSG) c/o Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, Cocklebury Road, Chippenham. SN15 3QN. email: terry.bracher@wiltshire.ogv.uk , telephone: 01249 705515 for further information.
ALAN BALL AWARD Submission Details and Entry Form
The Judges
This year the judges will be:
Tracey Williams, Local Studies Librarian, Solihull Library
Dr Craig Horner, Manchester Metropolitan University and the Peoples History Museum.
Dr John Chandler, Local History Publisher (Hobb Nobb Press), Editor Victoria County History of Gloucestershire and former Local Studies librarian and LSG McCulla prize winner.
Dr Diana Dixon, Hon Reviews Editor, CILIP Update and LSG Committee Member
Alice Lock, former Head of Tameside Archives & Local Studies, and Hon. Secretary LSG
Convener: Terry Bracher, Archives & Local Studies Manager, Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre and Hon. Chair LSG.
The Prize
Winners will be given a certificate and accorded the title of Alan Ball Award winner, which can be used on promotional material. Sadly, there is no trophy or cash prize, but as previous award winners will confirm, it is a prestigious award that is very meaningful within Local History community.
CILIP Local Studies Group 