Doctoral student Steve Witt (MS '95) is the recipient of the 2016 Donald G. Davis Article Award given by the Library History Round Table of the American Library Association (ALA). The award will be presented on June 26 at the 2016 ALA Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, at the Library History Round Table Research Forum.

The iSchool at Illinois seeks nominations for the Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award. The deadline for nominations is October 1, 2016.

Given annually, the award acknowledges individuals or groups who have furthered the cause of intellectual freedom, particularly as it impacts libraries and information centers and the dissemination of ideas.

Nine of the School’s master’s students have been named 2016-2017 Spectrum Scholars by the American Library Association (ALA). Established in 1997, the Spectrum Scholarship Program was created to promote diversity among graduate-level library school students.

Alumnus Allen Lanham (MS '91) has been named an Illinois Library Luminary by the Illinois Library Association (ILA). This distinction honors individuals whose efforts have made a significant contribution to Illinois libraries.

Each year, the School recognizes a group of outstanding students for their achievement in academics as well as a number of attributes that contribute to professional success. The following student awards were presented at the School's Convocation ceremony on May 15, 2016.

Alumna Barbara J. Ford (MS '73) has been named an Illinois Library Luminary by the Illinois Library Association. This distinction honors individuals whose efforts have made a significant contribution to Illinois libraries. As director of the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs and Mortenson Distinguished Professor at the University Library, Ford brought librarians from all over the world to programs and events statewide.

Affiliated faculty member Clara Chu is the recipient of the 2015 Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA) Distinguished Service Award. This award is given annually to a CALA member demonstrating outstanding leadership and achievement in library and information service at the national or international level. It is the association's highest honor.

GSLIS alumna Erin Prentiss (MS ’12) is the recipient of the 2016 Professional Development Grant sponsored by the American Libraries Association (ALA) New Members Round Table (NMRT).

Jarrett Dapier (MS '15) has been selected by the Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) of the American Library Association (ALA) to receive the 2016 John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award for defending the principles of intellectual freedom.

GSLIS doctoral student Kirstin Phelps has been selected by the Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) to receive one of ninety Scholar Awards given in the United States and Canada. PEO Scholar Award winners are a select group of women chosen for their high level of academic achievement and potential to positively impact society.