The Lyman H. Butterfield Award Committee seeks nominations for the award to be given in 2024. Since 1985, the Association for Documentary Editing has presented the Butterfield Award annually to recognize recent contributions in the areas of documentary publication, teaching, and service. Both senior and early-career scholars are eligible, as are projects and institutions. Recipients need not be members of the ADE, and the award may be given posthumously.

The award is granted in memoriam of Lyman Henry Butterfield, whose editing career included contributions to The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, the editing of the Adams Family Papers, and publishing The Letters of Benjamin Rush. For a list of previous recipients, click this link.

The award is intended for individuals, projects, and institutions who have excelled in one or more of the following criteria:

1. Outstanding and sustained service to the profession through active participation, advocacy, or leadership in Association for Documentary Editing or related organizations.
2. Outstanding and sustained service to the practice of documentary publication in a manner consistent with the highest standards of the field. These standards may be met in a variety of ways, including activity which involves exceptional creativity, innovation, intellectual or moral courage, leadership, or scholarship.
3. Outstanding research and/or publication in any media or format that contributes to the further understanding and development of documentary editing.
4. Outstanding and sustained performance in teaching in the field of documentary editing or a closely related field.
5. Outstanding work in diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or social justice that contributes to the development of documentary editing or a closely related field.

Nominations should be submitted by email. All unsuccessful nominations will remain active for a period of three years from the time of their nomination and will be reconsidered for the award during those years without having to be renominated. After this period, they may be resubmitted for nomination. Supporting letters from members of the ADE are encouraged. All materials should reach the committee chair, Victoria Sciancalepore (vscianca@ramapo.edu), by May 1st, 2024.