The Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the 2026 OCUL Outstanding Contribution Award, a recognition that celebrates individuals and teams whose work advances OCUL’s mission and strategic priorities through innovation, leadership, collaboration, and community-building.
Eligible nominees include individuals and teams currently employed at an OCUL member library, as well as colleagues from other departments within member institutions who partner with the library. For the 2026 award cycle, nominated contributions must have taken place between May 2025 and May 2026.
The OCUL Outstanding Contribution Award has recognized a wide range of impactful initiatives and leaders over the years, including the TriUniversity Group of Libraries Primo Implementation Team for their work in implementing a new discovery layer across their region's university libraries; Tony Horava for his active involvement, research, and instruction around various OCUL initiatives; and, most recently, Matt Van Ast for his longstanding commitment to the Collaborative Futures vision of Ontario campus communities accessing a large and diverse province-wide library collection.
OCUL encourages member libraries to take this opportunity to recognize colleagues whose dedication, creativity, and collaborative approach have helped advance innovative and equitable university library services across the consortium.
Submit a nomination for the 2026 OCUL Outstanding Contribution Award.
For More Information
Visit the OCUL Outstanding Contribution Award webpage for eligibility details, nomination criteria, and key dates.
For questions regarding the OCUL Outstanding Contribution Award or nomination process, please email ocul@ocul.on.ca.