The American Library Association was accorded complete and independent authority by the college to govern its bestowal. Dartmouth College commissioned the internationally celebrated graphic artist Rudolph Ruzicka to design the bronze medal. Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, who presided not only over the arts and sciences, but over all intellectual aspects of human life, is featured against a filigree of olive branches. Bestowal of the awrd shall normally relate to works that have been published or otherwise made available for the first time during the calendar year preceeding the presentation of the award. The jury is a committee consisting of four RUSA members and the chair of the ALA Reference Books Bulletin Editorial Board.
Members serve two-year terms.
Consecutive terms are not permitted. Nominees will be reviewed in a closed meeting of the committee during Midwinter. Committee rosters change on a yearly basis and members can change addresses at any time. We try hard to keep this information up to date but we can always use your help. Please let the RUSA Web Program Officer listed below know if any information above is incorrect.