Background

Named after J Eddis Linton, (pictured), one of the founders of the RIM Professionals Australasia, the J Eddis Linton Awards, celebrate his outstanding contribution to records management across three categories:

Information Proficiency Most Outstanding Individual

Sponsored by Information Proficiency, this award is aimed at those RIM Professionals Australasia members who have achieved excellence in records and information management & contributed highly to the profession. This award can be self nominated or nominated by an independent person or group.

Examples of nominations:

• An individual who has promoted and supported the interests &/or development of a Chapter or special interest group (SIG) within the records management profession.
• A person who has promoted awareness of records and information management within their own organisation, nationally or internationally.
• An individual that has enhanced the profile of records management in a way that has lead to significant change. This could be an employee who has instigated a major initiative or project that has enhanced the profile of records management.

Criteria and Eligibility

This award is to identify a person who has contributed in his or her own workplace or the profession as a whole. This award is open to individual members of the RIM Professionals Australasia who have achieved excellence in records and information management and made a significant contribution to the profession.

1. The award is open to ALL individual members of the RIM Professionals Australasia, corporate nominees are not eligible.
2. Individual members can be nominated by their peers/colleagues or self-nominate.
3. The achievement or contribution may be in the individual’s own workplace or to the profession as a whole.
4. The nominator is required to provide a summary in no more than 1000 words of the outstanding achievement of the nominee (ie why they are being nominated). 
5. The nominator may be required to meet with the Awards Judging Panel in regard to the nomination and may be asked to provide documentary evidence.
6. The outstanding contribution should demonstrate one or more of the following:
   • An example of best practice or innovation in the records management field that extends the boundaries of common practice.
   • Evidence of a commitment to records and information management issues leading to increased motivation, involvement and improved business performance. Key internal personnel will need to verify that initiatives made a significant strategic and practical contribution to the organisation.
   • A significant innovation or development in the field that increases the awareness of the profession to those outside the RIM Professionals Australasia.
   • Display of an outstanding degree of dedication and commitment to the profession.

Ezescan Most Outstanding Group

Sponsored by Ezescan, this award is aimed at those RIM Professionals Australasia members who as a group have achieved excellence in records and information management and contributed highly to the profession.

Examples of nominations

• A vendor/company or agency that has been supportive, encouraging and promoted an awareness of records management.
• A committee (non-RIM Professionals Australasia) that is contributing to the profession in a significant manner.
• An agency or group who has been particularly successful in implementing a recordkeeping innovation in an individual agency or across a range of agencies or sector of government.

Criteria and Eligibility

This award can be self-nominated or nominated by another party.

1. Groups/committees must comprise at least three people.
2. The company/group nominated must be either a financial Corporate member of the RIM Professionals Australasia or be made up of financial individual members of the RIM Professionals Australasia (min 80%).
3. The nomination form must include the name of a representative who will accept the award if nomination is successful.
4. The nominator is required to provide a summary in no more than 1000 words of the outstanding achievement of the nominee (ie why they are being nominated).
5. The nominator may be required to make themselves available to discuss the nomination with the Awards Judging Panel and may be asked to provide documentary evidence.
6. The outstanding contribution should demonstrate one or more of the following:
   • Innovation or best practice within the records management field that extends the boundaries of common practice.
   • Evidence of an increased commitment to records and information management issues leading to increased motivation, involvement and improved business performance. Key internal personnel will need to verify that initiatives have made a significant strategic and practical contribution to the organisation.
   • A significant innovation or development in the field that increases the awareness of the profession to those outside the RIM Professionals Australasia.
   • A level of achievement that results in an increase of RIM Professionals Australasia members or displays an outstanding degree of dedication and commitment to the profession.

This award will not be judged on financial contributions (including “in kind”).

Student of the Year

This category is named Student of the Year and it is to be awarded to a student who has achieved excellence in educational studies in records and information management. The award are open to both full time and part time students who have completed a dedicated records and information management course in the previous 12 months (July to June).

Criteria and Eligibility

1. Nominees must have achieved to a high level as a student in a dedicated records and information management course completed in the previous 12 months being July to June (study may be undertaken at any level, including tertiary and VET).
2. High level achievement is defined as attaining no less than a Credit (or its equivalent) for the entire course.
3. The award is open to student members studying in a full or part-time mode in Australia and New Zealand.
4. The educational institution/provider must be accredited by the RIM Professionals Australasia.
5. A certified copy of academic record must be provided with the application.
6. The nominee must indicate his/her personal vision of the future direction of records management (1000 words).
7. The award is not limited by age

Nonimation

The award is self-nominating.  Each nominee is to have completed a nomination form, which is signed by an academic staff member from the relevant educational institution familiar with the student’s studies. Each nominee will be required to submit a certified copy of their academic record or must provide a reference from the academic tutor relating to their levels of attainment and must indicate his/her personal vision of the future direction of records management (1000 words).  Additional supporting documentation may be submitted with the application if thought appropriate, such as essays or project reports.

Only financial members of the RIM Professionals Australasia may nominate or be nominated for an award.

Conditions & Prize Details

• Candidates must respond to the selection criteria using the official nomination form.
• Only financial members of the RIM Professionals Australasia may nominate or be nominated for these awards.
• In all instances the judges’ decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
• The judges may, at their discretion, choose not to present an award in any category where no nominations are received or where it is deemed that nominees do not meet award standards.
• Winners in all three categories will be announced and presented with a commemorative plaque at the RIM Professionals Australasia International Convention, inForum. In addition, winners will receive their choice of free Convention registration worth $1,200 or $1,000 in travel costs met to attend the Convention. In the case of the Group award, this prize applies to one representative, not the whole group.

Closing date

August 1

No late nominations will be considered.

Applications

Should be made on the appropriate form (below) and forwarded with supporting documentation to:

RIM Professionals Australasia Awards Committee
Records and Information Management Professionals Australasia
PO Box 276
St Helens   TAS 7216
Australia

Forms are available below or from the Secretariat