The David Noble Prize

Background

The David Noble Prize for Excellence in Health Information Research was established in 2010 by the Health Libraries Association of British Columbia (HLABC) to honour and commemorate David Noble, a founding member of HLABC, and to encourage new information professionals in British Columbia to follow in his footsteps of excellence in health librarianship and in providing innovative health information services.

David Noble served as the second president of HLABC from 1979-1980. In 2002, he was awarded Lifetime Membership in HLABC. David is remembered for his contributions to health librarianship in Canada and for promoting library and information services to patients and consumers long before this became commonplace.

The Prize will be awarded to a student who has written the year’s top paper on a topic relating to medical or health libraries and information services. Students will submit to HLABC a research paper on a topic germane to health or medical library and information services. The HLABC Executive Board will review all applications and award one prize at their discretion, in any given year.

Guidelines for Applicants

Amount

One prize, valued at $250 plus 1-year free membership in HLABC, will be awarded at the discretion of the judges. The winner will normally be invited to present the winning paper at a general meeting of the HLABC membership.

Criteria

  • Applicants may be continuing or graduating students in the Library Technician program at either Langara College or the University of the Fraser Valley, or in any degree-granting program offered by the University of British Columbia School of Library, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS).
  •  Submissions must demonstrate excellence in research relating to health or medical library and information services.
  • “Research” here is defined as articles based on original or review research, of which the student applicant(s) must be first or sole author(s).

Indicators

  • The prize will be awarded to the top student research paper from the applications submitted in that year.

Procedure for Application

  • Papers should be between 1000-4000 words, double spaced, referenced in a standard academic style, and paginated. Paper or article title should appear on at least the first page.
  • Student names or degree programs should not appear on the papers themselves; only on a cover sheet.
  • Apply by submitting cover sheet and research paper via email to the President by April 30. If a suitable application has been received, the prize will be awarded at the summer AGM.
  • Limit of two submissions per student.

Award

  • The HLABC Executive Board will review the research papers submitted and will award the prize to the paper they feel demonstrates the highest quality student research.
  • In the event that the winning paper has multiple student authors, the authors will split the prize.
  • If there are no appropriate submissions in a given year the prize may be withheld for that year.