Expanding the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize and Endowment

Every year since 2011, the Weinberg Memorial Library has awarded a prize to recognize excellence in the process and completion of research projects.

The research prize program was founded and coordinated by Professor Emerita Bonnie W. Oldham, who served on the library faculty as a research and instruction librarian from 2004 until her retirement in 2017. Beginning in 2009, she also served as the library’s infor- mation literacy coordinator.

Upon Professor Oldham’s retirement, the prize was renamed the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize, to honor her contribution to information literacy teaching and learning excellence at the University.

Professor Oldham’s commitment to recognizing student excellence continues beyond her retirement in the form of the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Endowment Fund. is endowment fund was created by Bonnie upon her unfortunate passing in September 2017 to ensure that the research prize program would be nancially resourced in perpetuity. Each prize awarded is $500.

In its inaugural year, one prize was awarded at the undergraduate level. In 2012, the program expanded to two prizes: one at the undergraduate level, and one at the graduate level.

Thanks in large part to Professor Oldham’s dedicated commitment to the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize, the program, now in its eighth year, is expanding from two annual prizes to three:

An undergraduate foundational prize for projects completed in 100-level courses;
An undergraduate upper-level prize for projects completed at the 200- to 400-level; and
A graduate prize for projects completed at the graduate level.

Each prize remains $500 and is awarded to the project that demonstrates through the application process evidence of signi cant knowledge in the methods of research and the information gathering process, and use of library resources, tools and services. Both individuals and groups may submit projects for consideration; if won by a group, the award is split equally among the members.

More information about the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize can be found at: scranton.edu/ libraryresearchprize.

To contribute to the Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Endowment Fund, please submit monetary donations to University Advancement earmarked for the “Bonnie W. Oldham Library Research Prize Endowment.” Please visit scranton.edu/development/ways- to-give.shtml for ways to give to the University.

— Donna Witek