MIT Libraries Rewards and Recognition: Spot Awards

Mission Statement
The Spot Award Program is intended to acknowledge and demonstrate immediate and spontaneous appreciation for the contributions of individuals.

Form of Awards
The Spot Award will take two concurrent forms:

1. a thank you note from colleague
2. a chance to win 1 of 5 monthly awards or 1 of at least 2 year-end awards

Submission Process
As of March 2020, we are now only accepting digital Spot Awards. Please follow the instructions located in the top box of this page.

AND you can now share your thanks with an extra boost on the #shine channel via Slack [thank you, R&R Team & Amy for orchestrating this fabulous idea!]. This is your opportunity to give additional shout-outs of gratitude for your colleagues.

Award Schedule
The Spot Award program went into effect on July 1, 2001. There is no set schedule for the distribution of Spot Awards, in the form of the personalized thank you note, as they are intended to be spontaneous. Staff are encouraged to complete a thank you note in a timely manner to recognize the efforts of others. Thank you notes received by Administrative Services by the last working day of the month will be entered into that month's drawing, to take place on the first working day of the following month (i.e, nominations received by July 31, 2001 will be entered into the July pool, the drawing for which will take place on August 1, 2001.)

The offerings for requests from winners can now be fulfilled via any of the following [for the $50 prize value]:

• A one-time, taxable $50 supplemental payment.

Please note:

IRS regulations stipulate that employees may not receive cash gifts totaling over $100 in a calendar year.  Since our spot award prizes are $50 each, this means that individuals who are lucky enough to have their name pulled from the monthly random drawing more than twice will not qualify to receive a gift card after the second award.  However the current R&R committee encourages us to continue to thank and recognize those colleagues nonetheless. 

Award Opportunities
All Libraries' staff, both regular and temporary (MIT Temps) will have access to the Spot Award program both in terms of demonstrating appreciation of others and receiving appreciation from others. A maximum of six awards will be presented as a result of each monthly drawing. An individual receiving multiple thank you's per month will be eligible for multiple entries in the monthly pool but will be eligible to win only one award in the that given month. In addition, a minimum of two awards will be presented at the annual Rewards & Recognition event. These awardees will be drawn from a pool comprised of those nominees submitted throughout the year who were not drawn from the monthly pool.

Selection Process
The monthly drawing for gift certificates will take place as close to the last working day of each month as possible for the previous month's awards. R&R committee members will coordinate the drawing, which will be witnessed by another member of the Rewards & Recognition Selection Team.

Program Facilitation
Lib-HR will be responsible for the facilitation of the program including communication efforts, maintenance of program web site, and serving as the Institute's R&R key contact

Program Communication
A representative from the R&R Committee will send a monthly e-mail to all-lib announcing the Spot Award recipients for that month. A website, containing information about the Libraries' Rewards and Recognition Program, is accessible via the Staff Web. This site contains a link to information about the Institute's program as well.