The Robert F. Munn Library Scholars Award for the Humanities and Social Sciences
Administered by West Virginia University Libraries and the Honors College of WVU

The Award

The Robert F. Munn Undergraduate Library Scholars Award is presented annually to a graduating Honors student for outstanding research contributions in the humanities or social sciences that have culminated in the production of an exceptional thesis.

The award will be presented during a ceremony held at the downtown campus library on Saturday, May 16, 2009. In addition, there is a monetary award of $1,000.

The Robert F. Munn Undergraduate Library Scholars Award was established during the fall of 2008 in honor of Dr. Robert F. Munn, Dean of Library Services from 1957 – 1986. Dean Munn nurtured the West Virginia and Regional History Collection, the Appalachian Collection, and a unique East Africa collection. He maintained strong collections in the humanities, especially American history and literature. The Libraries’ collections in these areas today are remarkably complete and are a legacy of Dean Munn’s consistent care.

Munn was born in Seattle and grew up in Pittsburgh, where his father was director of the Carnegie Library. He received his bachelor’s degree from Oberlin, his master’s degree from the University of Chicago, and his doctorate from the University of Michigan.

Eligibility

To be eligible to win, applicants must:
• Be an Honors student enrolled at West Virginia University as a full-time undergraduate student in good
academic standing who will graduate by December of 2009
• Have conducted original research using resources from the West Virginia University Libraries and used
this research to produce a written thesis that reflects individual work, not that of a group or class project
• Have completed the research project for a credit course at West Virginia University within the last year
• Have submitted a letter of intent by or before the deadline
• Have a cumulative GPA of no less than a 3.4 and have met the additional requirements for graduation as
described by the Honors College of West Virginia University
• Agree to permit West Virginia University Libraries and the Honors College to use their name,
photographs, video images, etc., to promote The Robert F. Munn Undergraduate Library Scholars Award
to future participants.
• Agree to attend the award ceremony

Deadlines

LETTER OF INTENT: February 13, 2009

Seniors should notify the committee of their intention to submit a thesis no later than –Friday, February 13, 2009. The letter of intention to submit should include:
• The title of their research project
• A 300-500 word abstract describing the research
• And a signature page including the signatures of the student, supervising faculty advisor, and
appropriate department chairpersons

COMPLETED THESIS: April 27, 2009

The completed thesis must be submitted no later than 4:00 p.m. on Monday, April 27, 2009. Applicants should submit one clean original copy and four additional photocopies.

Subject

The research topic must be in the realms of the humanities or social sciences.

Criteria

Judges will read the theses for:
• Potential impact/contribution to the academic field
• Significance of thesis
• Quality of thesis/theoretical value
• Development of the subject/topic
• Technical merit
• Novelty/generation of new knowledge
• Use of West Virginia University Libraries resources

Work that is attributed to a student’s own initiative, rather than to assist a faculty member’s current research interests, will be considered more favorably by judges.