The following awards will be presented in person at the ACURIL LIII 2024 closing ceremony, May 16th 7pm at the Guyana Pegasus Hotel.
ACURIL recognizes the excellence in the services of information units. It is ACURIL’s interest to stimulate and stand out the creativity, innovation and sharing of experiences of archives, libraries, documentation centers and other information units, members of ACURIL, through the various Categories.

I- The Stephney Ferguson Library Programs for Special Information Needs Award. The ACURIL President’s Award. To recognize and distinguish a school, public or national library in the Caribbean, which has demonstrated excellence of service providing a program to satisfy special community information needs. This special ACURIL Award was established by Jamaican Past President Stephney Ferguson in 2000, in her interest to stimulate the development of information programs to special clienteles, and the offering of innovative outreach programmes to help build informed communities in the region. ACURIL rejoices in naming this distinction The Stephney Ferguson Library Programs for Special Information Needs Award.

Nature of the Award: A plaque and citations.

Recipient : National Library of Guyana

II- Leadership in the Use of New Information Technologies to Expand and Facilitate Access to Serials Content. EBSCO Information Services Award. To recognize and distinguish a school, academic, public or national library for its innovative, creative and effective achievement in planning and implementing a program or service with serial publications, using information technologies, for the benefit of its clientele.

Nature of the Award: A plaque, a special prize and citation.  

Recipients :

University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus

National Library and Information System (NALIS) of Trinidad and Tobago

III- Innovative and Effective Information Services with the Application of Information Technologies. Gale Group Award. To recognize and distinguish a school, academic, public or national library for its innovative, creative and effective achievement in planning and implementing a program or service, for the benefit of its clientele, using information technologies. 

Nature of the Award: A plaque and citation.

Recipient : University of US Virgin Islands

IV- Caribbean Information Professional of the Year – ACURIL announces the Information Professional in the Caribbean Award in order to recognize and honor the individual commitment, excellence in performance, and outstanding professional achievement of an information specialist (librarian, archivists, documentalists, etc.) in the Caribbean, members of ACURIL (in any of the linguistic areas: English, French or Dutch and Spanish). It is ACURIL’s interest to stimulate and stand out the highest performance of information professionals in the Caribbean, members of the organization.

Nature of the award : ACURILEANA Medal of excellence

Recipient : Mr. Peter Scholing

V – ACURIL is also pleased to help promote the Allison Providence-Lange Sustainability in Libraries Award by the Library Association of Trinidad & Tobago (LATT) & Ebsco,

The Allison Providence-Lange Sustainability in Libraries Award was created to honor and continue the work of Mrs Providence-Lange after her untimely passing last year at the peak of her career. She was a dynamic library and information professional who touched many lives in her roles as librarian at the Cipriani College of Labour, Assistant Secretary of the Library Association of Trinidad and Tobago as well as EBSCO’s Account Executive for the Caribbean. Allison’s impact was such that EBSCO felt motivated enough to approach the Library Association of Trinidad & Tobago (LATT) to find a way to honor her. Since Allison was always concerned with the sustainability of library programmes within the region, LATT and EBSCO deemed it quite fitting that an award be created for libraries in the Caribbean which will recognize outstanding work in library sustainability. The type of sustainability will vary, whether it be implementing green initiatives at the library, ensuring additional resources to patrons via collaboration, improving information literacy and opportunity in the region or implementing or innovating sustainable open-source initiatives within the library. It is important to note also that the award will not be a one-off event but be given annually, which is also in keeping with Allison Providence-Lange’s focus on sustainability.

Recipient: Dr. Eric Williams Speech Digitalisation Project by the Ministry of Planning and Development – Library Services Unit, Trinidad & Tobago

ACURIL will be also presenting plaques and awards to different individuals who have worked very hard to make this conference a success.

VII- The Alma Jordan Scholarship: The ultimate purpose of this financial assistance is to fund the attendance of one person, from each of the following language areas: English, Spanish, French and Dutch, with the registration fee to attend an ACURIL annual conference.

Recipients: 

  1. Dr. Said Saillant
  2. Rismawatie Bissesar

ACURIL wishes to thank the Selection Committee for the Caribbean Professional of the year (2024) and the Alma Jordan scholarship

  • Erick Toussaint – President 2024
  • Dr. Jeannette Lebron Ramos – Past President 2022
  • Kumaree Ramtahal – Past President 2018
  • Jane W. F. Smith – Past President 2015
  • Dr Ardis Hanson – Past President 2011
  • Astrid Britten – Past President 2006
  • Luis Joel Crespo (only Alma Jordan Scholarship) ACURIL Treasurer

Looking forward to seeing you all very soon.