Real Impact
Awards

Submission form questions

1. The background
   Briefly explain the role you or your team play within the library and why you are committed to making a difference to the development of scholarly research (max 200 words)
2. The project
   Outline what methods, structures or practices have been implemented and why to help shine a light on the impactful research being carried out at your institution (max 500 words)
3. The implementation
   Explain why your methods or practices are innovative and leading change (max 200 words)

Judging process

The judging process for this award will be completed in two parts.

Stage 1 - All eligible entries will be shared with the allocated judges for this category and scored based on the criteria below. A shortlist of entries (finalists) will be decided based on the highest scores received. All judging is anonymous and only your written entry is shared with the judging panel.

Stage 2 – The finalists have the opportunity to provide further information and evidence based on the judge’s feedback. There will be a second judging session where all additional information and scorecard from the first round will be discussed and from this a winner and two highly commended entries will be decided.

Judging criteria

Clarity: How clearly has the nominee(s) explained their commitment to making a difference to the development of scholarly research? * (10 points)

Focus: How well have the methods and practices implemented been explained? (Please consider how well the tangible benefits to the library and institution and/or development of scholarly research as a whole has been explained) * (20 points)

Innovation: How innovative are the methods being carried out by a library to contribute to the development of scholarly research? * (10 points)

*Submissions will also be judged on how clear the entries are written, and how engaging and free from jargon they are for a non-specialist audience.

Prizes

One overall individual or team/institution winner plus two highly commended

Winner(s) will receive:

• Their impact commitment celebrated through a case study written by our specialist editors; each case study will form part of our Real Impact Awards Showcase publication, a copy of which will be provided to each winner and highly commended entry
• An invitation to a celebration event in 2023
• A certificate and physical award
• Inclusion in a global social campaign once the Showcase Book has been finalised, which will put the spotlight on each of the winner’s stories and their commitment to impact

Highly commended will receive:

• Their impact commitment celebrated through a case study written by our specialist editors; each case study will form part of our Real Impact Awards Showcase publication, a copy of which will be provided to each winner and highly commended
• A certificate
• Additional publicity across global Emerald marketing channels

2021 highly commended entry

Phuntsho Norbu, Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan

Phuntsho Norbu is a faculty member and head of the central library at Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan. The central library caters for the information needs of faculty, students, researchers and health professionals, but it doesn't have enough funds to subscribe to databases and journals. The university instead depends on information accessed through Research4Life (R4L).

Institutions based in Bhutan are eligible to access the R4L content for free. Although this may appear to offer a solution to the problem of information access in this region, many are unaware that the resource even exists. Mr Norbu is committed to make scholars and qualifying institutions aware of the platform so that researchers' capabilities in the region can be strengthened.

Read the full case study