The Dartmouth Medal of the

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members ...

is awarded annually to a reference work of outstanding quality and significance, published during the previous calendar year.

History

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native ...

sponsored the establishment of the award in 1974, acting on the recommendation of Dean Lathem, Dartmouth College librarian, who had noted that no special honor existed in the United States for distinguished achievement relating to the creation of works of reference resources centrally important to libraries and to the pursuit of learning. Dartmouth College gave the American Library Association complete control in making the award and commissioned the artist Rudolph Ruzicka to design an oval bronze medal that features Athena, goddess of wisdom.

Dartmouth Medal recipients

Sources

* American Library Association Reference and User Services Association

External links

ALA RUSA Dartmouth Medal

American Library Association, Reference and Users Services Association
{{American Library Association Awards established in 1974 American Library Association awards American non-fiction literary awards Dartmouth College English-language literary awards