For the past six years, The New York Times has honored public librarians across the country who have provided outstanding community service on a consistent basis. This year, The Times is adding a new category for academic librarians.

The new awards will be given to those academic librarians whose outstanding service has enriched their libraries, institutions and academic communities.

"Academic librarians are delighted that The New York Times has expanded its prestigious librarian awards to include librarians at university and colleges," Curzon said. "These awards recognize the outstanding contribution that librarians make daily to support and enrich learning, teaching and research. There are so many librarians who have devoted their lives so that students and faculty have access to extraordinary resources. I am honored to be on the first ever Academic Librarian Awards Committee."

Serving on the committee with Curzon are Marianne Grant, university librarian at Rutgers University in New Jersey; James Neal, vice president for information services and university librarian at Columbia University; Susan K. Nutter, vice provost and director of libraries at North Carolina State University; and Loretta Parham, CEO and director of the Robert W. Woodruff Library at the Atlanta University Center.

The New York Times will be accepting nominations for its academic librarian awards in September and October from students, faculty and administrators at universities and colleges nationwide. It is currently accepting nominations from the public for the public librarian awards. The winners will be announced in The Times in December. Each winner will receive $2,500 and a commemorative plaque in recognition of his or her achievements.

Information about the awards program can be found at www.nytimes-community.com.