Library Awards

The Library adjudicates two annual student awards for excellence in library research:

• Tanja Harrison Library Research Award
  • Sponsored by the MSVU Library & Archives. The award was recently renamed in memory of former University Librarian Tanja Harrison, who enthusiastically headed the Library Awards Committee for many years. 
• Sister Francis de Sales Endowed Award
  • Sponsored by the Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association. The award is named in memory of Sister Francis de Sales, who was College Librarian at the time of the fire that destroyed the Mount Saint Vincent College "Motherhouse" in 1951.

Each award comes with a prize of $360. Winners are usually announced at the annual MSVU Academic Awards event in April. The Library Awards deadline this year is Friday April 11th, 2025.

These awards are available to undergraduate students who demonstrate outstanding skill in using information and resources located in, or accessible from, the MSVU Library, when completing a research assignment for course credit at Mount Saint Vincent University.

• Open to all undergraduate students at Mount Saint Vincent University
• A single assignment is eligible for one award in the following two categories:
  • Tanja Harrison Library Research Award: MSVU students with 15 units of credit or less from any institution
  • Sister Francis de Sales Endowed Award: MSVU students with more than 10 units of credit from any institution
• Assignment must have been submitted for course credit at Mount Saint Vincent University
• Assignment must have been submitted within the 12 month period proceeding the competition deadline
• Honours theses/projects are not eligible
• All supporting documentation must be included for consideration

2025 Applications

Please email applications to library@msvu.ca

Applications e-mail message must include the following:

• Student ID Number
• Phone number
• Title of assignment
• Name of course
• Name of instructor
• Which award you are applying for:
  • Tanja Harrison Library Research Award (for MSVU students with 15 units of credit or less from any institution)
  • Sister Francis de Sales Endowed Award (for MSVU students with more than 10 units of credit from any institution)

Attachments must include the following:

1. A clean copy of your assignment (no instructor's comments or grades) as a Word or PDF document.
2. A research log (e.g., a list of research materials, a description of search strategies and research tools used, and an indication of the importance of the research process for completing the assignment). 
3. A copy of the syllabus / course outline of the course for which you completed the assignment.

These awards are available to undergraduate students who demonstrate outstanding skill in using information and resources located in, or accessible from, the MSVU Library, when completing a research assignment for course credit at Mount Saint Vincent University. Eligible assignments must have been submitted within the 12 month period proceeding the competition deadline.

Tanja Harrison Library Research Award

The Tanja Harrison Library Research Award is named in memory of MSVU's University Librarian, who served from 2012 until 2023. Tanja was an enthusiastic supporter of the Library Awards and spearheaded many Library improvements and initiatives during her tenure, most notably a major renovation of the Library in 2014. The award is available annually to a novice researcher, i.e. an undergraduate student at MSVU who has completed no more than 15 units at MSVU (or, in the case of a transfer student, any other post-secondary institution) and demonstrates outstanding research skills using information and resources located in, or accessible from, the MSVU Library when completing a research paper for credit. Annotated bibliographies are eligible for this award. Honours thesis/projects are not eligible. 

Sister Francis de Sales Endowed Award

The Sister Francis de Sales Endowed Award is awarded annually by the Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association in memory of Sister Francis de Sales, who served as Head Librarian for 25 years. She was instrumental in rebuilding the Mount Library after the fire of 1951 and contributed to the establishment of the MacDonald Rare Book Room. The Sister Francis de Sales Endowed Award is awarded to a senior undergraduate student (at least 10 units complete) who demonstrates outstanding research skills in using information sources available from the MSVU Library when completing a research paper for course credit. Honours theses/projects are not eligible for this award. 

The adjudication committee consists of librarians and library staff members. The committee may seek advice from the teaching faculty related to the paper under consideration. The research assignments will be judged according to the following criteria:

• Research Methodology/Process outlined in a Research Log
  • An evaluation based on the range of sources used (breadth, depth and appropriateness of print and/or electronic indexes, abstracts, and bibliographies); evidence of consultation with instructors or professional Research Help staff in the Library; evidence of learning the research process; efficiency of research.
• Quality of Paper
  • Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and clear, accurate, consistent use of citations (e.g., MLA, Chicago, APA).
• Content
  • Synthesis of the topic; organization and flow; the appropriate and thorough use of research material integrated throughout the assignment; and evidence that the paper met the requirements set by the course instructor.

The Library Awards Committee does not re-mark any assignments submitted for consideration, but the quality of library research must be deemed sufficiently high by the committee for applications to be considered. The committee reserves the right not to offer either of the two awards in any given year. The decision of the committee is final. 

The research log documents your research process and the resources you used while conducting your research. Not all subcategories need to be completed. However, each completed subcategory must include some library research examples. 

The cover page of the research log must include:

• your name
• student id number
• title of the paper
• course
• Library Award Category (Tanja Harrison or Sister Francis de Sales)

1) Search Strategies

When listing the search strategies you used to find information for your assignment, list the what tools or techniques you used while doing your research and indicate things such as choosing a database, deciding on search terms, search terms, and/or filters you used. 

• Journal Databases, Indexes, Search Engines
• Keywords and Search Terms
• Subject Headings /Descriptors (e.g. thesaurus)
• Search Strings in how you found information (e.g. using Boolean operators such as and, or, not)
• Limits / Filters e.g. current 5 years, peer-reviewed, etc.

2) Research and Reference Materials

Provide a list of materials used during your library research process according to the type of material. Indicate whether the resource was online or print.

• Background Materials (specialized encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc.)
• Books/eBooks
• Primary Sources
• Bibliographies, indexes, journal databases, etc. 
• Government documents or data/statistics
• Websites
• Audio visual materials such as videos, films, etc. 
• Other

3) Consultations, Research Appointments, Reference

Describe any consultations, research appointments, or help you received from librarians, instructors, and/or other specialists regarding your research.

4) Personal Journal

Reflect on your research process and its impact on your work.

2025 Applications

Please email applications to library@msvu.ca

Applications e-mail message must include the following:

• Student ID Number
• Phone number
• Title of assignment
• Name of course
• Name of instructor
• Which award you are applying for:
  • Tanja Harrison Library Research Award (for MSVU students with 15 units of credit or less from any institution)
  • Sister Francis de Sales Endowed Award (for MSVU students with more than 10 units of credit from any institution)

Attachments must include the following:

1. A clean copy of your assignment (no instructor's comments or grades) as a Word or PDF document.
2. A research log (e.g., a list of research materials, a description of search strategies and research tools used, and an indication of the importance of the research process for completing the assignment). 
3. A copy of the syllabus / course outline of the course for which you completed the assignment.

Friday, April 11th, 2025 @ 12:00 PM