Burgess Undergraduate Library Research Award

The prestigious Sam Burgess Undergraduate Library Research Award has opened once again. This year, IU Libraries' Awards and Scholarship Committee will award the winning research with $2,000. 

Along with the research project or paper submitted for a grade anytime in the calendar year 2025, applicants will submit a 500-750 word essay describing research strategy methods and application of library elements used in completion of the research. When choosing winners, the IU Libraries Awards and Scholarship Committee pays special attention to how a student used library resources to complete a project or paper as part of a class assignment. Applicants must show how they determined what resources were needed, how they evaluated findings, what they discovered, and how they synthesized those resources. In addition, a faculty member submits a letter of recommendation for the student and their research. This year's application deadline is March 23, 2026.

Jo Burgess, retired IU Libraries' librarian, is the generous donor of the award, which has been given out since 2006. Tragically, Burgess lost her son. Desiring to honor his legacy and love of reading, she funded this award in his memory. 

For examples of past years' outstanding winners, please see IUScholarWorks where all winning projects and papers are published for permanent open access availability. Winning students have the opportunity to be interviewed for a full-length profile feature for IU Libraries' website audiences.