Created in 2000, the CBHL Annual Literature Award is given by CBHL to both the author and publisher of a work that makes a significant contribution to the literature of botany or horticulture.

The award is presented at CBHL’s Annual Meeting. Its purpose is to:

  • Recognize a work that makes a significant contribution to the literature of botany or horticulture;

  • Increase the visibility of CBHL;

  • Encourage participation by the CBHL community in recognizing significant contributions to the literature of the field.

Guidelines of the Award

Nominations
Nominations must be submitted by a CBHL member. Publishers may submit works to be nominated by members. Works nominated the previous year may be nominated again if they meet the “Year of Publication” guideline below.

Author
The work may or may not be by a CBHL member. However, works by members of this Award Committee are not eligible. The work may be authored by one or more individuals, a group, or an organization.

Format
Acceptable formats include but are not limited to: book, journal, journal article, CD-ROM.

Language
Works should be in English or in English with parallel text in other languages.

Year of Publication/Creation
Works should be published or created in the two calendar years preceding the year the award will be presented. For example, works published in 2023 and 2024
will be  eligible for the 2025 Award, which will be given – in this case – at the 2025 Annual Meeting.

Genre
Works are not limited by genre. Reference works, children’s books, fiction, etc. are all acceptable.

Categories
The award committee may decide to attribute awards and mentions, in one or more categories.

Judging Criteria

Works will be judged by members of the Annual Literature Award Committee according to the following criteria:

  • Accuracy
  • Clarity
  • Organization and presentation of information
  • Uniqueness of the contribution to the literature of the field
  • Excellence of intellectual content
  • Design and composition of the work

The committee encourages the nominations to honor diversity, equity and inclusion. We also believe these concepts intersect with the current science of climate change. We encourage nominators to include language about how the nominee helps bring these topics forward.

Submission Procedure

CBHL members and publishers are invited to use the nomination form.

Announcements

After review copies are received, current nominees are published on the CBHL website. The winners are then unveiled annually during the CBHL Annual Meeting. Subsequently, a press release, an announcement in the CBHL Newsletter, and the listing of winners on the CBHL Award page ensue.

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Mehlin, information technology librarian, University of Washington Botanic Gardens" ["post_content"]=> string(593) "I  have been a member of CBHL since 2001 when I joined the staff of the Elisabeth C. Miller Library at the University of Washington Botanic Gardens in Seattle. That same year,  I  attended my first annual meeting at the Denver Botanical Garden hosted by the Helen Fowler Library. I was so amazed to learn that there was an organization comprised of plant librarians!After the Miller Library hosted the annual meeting in 2010, I was asked to join the Board. I wanted to serve CBHL because I had gained so much from meeting fellow horticultural librarians and visiting other garden libraries." 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As my involvement, I attended 26 annual meetings, hosting two of them, I served on the board and was part of many committees. CBHL provided me with shared expertise and a great network of colleagues all across North America." 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Why I am a CBHL member