LIASA - NDENDE Public/Community Library of the Year Award 2025

The Public/Community Library of the Year Award is for a rural or peri-urban based library that in the last 24 months has made significant steps in championing the adoption of technological innovation (including 4IR) within the Library and Information Service community; such innovation must make a meaningful impact on the sector.                                                                       

This award is to be presented to a library that has pioneered new technology that can be adopted by other libraries.

The award should be used for educational and development purpose in line with the sponsor’s guidelines.  

Timeline:

1. Call for nominations: 04 June 2025
2. Closing of nominations: 30 June 2025
3. Shortlisting of finalists: 04– 08 August 2025
4. Finalist interviews: 30 September 2025
5. Announcement of winners: 03 October 2025 at the LIASA 2025 Conference Dinner, Boardwalk Hotel, Casino & Convention Centre, Gqeberha 

Selection Criteria

All nominees will be evaluated on the following criteria: The nominated library must:

• Have adopted or implemented a technological innovation that stands out and can be adapted by other libraries in the industry
• The technology must have been implemented within the last 24 months
• Be a public/community library in a rural or Peri-urban area
• Have been existed for at least 3 years and more
• Evidence of outreach projects contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals 2030
  
• LIASA and the sponsor reserves the right not to confer an award

Eligibility

The following groups of people are not eligible for this award:

• Academic libraries,
• Special Libraries
• Libraries in the Metro, both School and Public Libraries

Nomination

The nomination must include:

• Nomination form to be completed and signed by the nominator.
  
• A profile of the library not exceeding 200 words (1.5 spacing, 12 point font)
• A motivational statement by the nominator, not exceeding 500 words (1.5 spacing, 12 point font) which opines on:
  • How the library bridged or tackled the digital divide in an effort to address/respond to Sustainable Development Goals 2030

• Compile a virtual presentation (PowerPoint or Video) to accompany the motivational statement

Additional requirements

• All finalists must attend the LIASA 2025 Conference in Gqeberha in-person
• Important things to note for the successful awardee:
  • The winner with the assistance of the sponsor and LIASA will develop a detailed proposal in accordance with the needs of that library.
    
  • The winner will do a 10-minutes visual presentation at the following year’s Annual Conference
• The winner must submit articles for all issues of the sponsor’s newsletter during their year of reign.
• Must act as an ambassador of technological innovation within the LIS Community.
• The winner is required to be actively involved in events and social platforms the sponsor manage throughout their year of reign.

 Downloads:

• Call for nominations
  
• Nomination Form
  

 Send the completed nomination form and all the required documents to awards@liasa.org.za