These awards recognize the value of guidebooks and reward examples of excellence in three categories:
- Best Guidebook (professional category) where professionals in the field are the audience
- Best Guidebook (popular category) where the layman is the audience
- Outstanding Geologic Field Trip Guidebook Series for organizations that have made continued contributions to the geologic field trip over time.
The awards are given in the Fall at the annual meeting of the Geoscience Information Society. Until 2017 there was only a single award for Best Guidebook. The Outstanding Geologic Field Trip Guidebook Series was first awarded in 2015.
Call for Nominations
The Guidebooks Committee of the Geoscience Information Society (GSIS) is accepting nomination for the Best Guidebook award(s) and Outstanding Geologic Field Trip Guidebook Series award. Geologic field trip guidebooks covering any region produced during the last 2 years to date (meaning the current year – 2) can be considered. The nominated titles will be evaluated for outstanding content and adherence to the criteria outlined in the Guidelines for Authors, Editors, and Publishers of Geologic Field Trip Guidebooks published by GSIS. Nominations, consisting of the title, author, and publication information for the work or series, should be sent to the chair of the Guidebooks Committee. The committee begins the selection process in mid-June.
Awards
2023
Best Guidebook
Title: Southeast Kansas: History, Industries, and Transformation
Author/s: Blair Schneider
Publisher: Kansas Geological Survey
Publication Date: 2022
Link: https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Field/Reports/2022_KFC_guidebook.pdf
Best Popular Guidebook
Title: Chicago in Stone and Clay: A Guide to the Windy City’s Architectural Geology
Author/s: Raymond Wiggers
Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press
Publication Date: 2022
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Stone-Clay-Architectural-Geology/dp/150176506X/ref=sr_1_1?
Best Guidebook Series
Title: Meeting Guidebooks of the Geological Association of Canada, Mineralogical Association of Canada, International Association of Hydrogeologists – Canadian National Chapter, and the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists
Author/s: Various
Publisher: Atlantic Geoscience Society
Link: https://atlanticgeosciencesociety.ca/publications/field-guidebooks
2022
2022 Best Guidebook
Geologic guidebook to Ohio State Parks in the Lake Erie
region, by D. Mark Jones. https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/geology/GB24_Jones_2021.pdf
2022 Best Guidebook – Popular Award
The Scenic Geology of Alberta, by Dale Leckie
https://www.amazon.com/Scenic-Geology-AlbertaRoadside-Touring-ebook/dp/B0947DB82
2022 Outstanding Geologic Field Trip Guidebook Series Award
Nick from Home, by Nick Zentner
https://www.youtube.com/user/GeologyNick/playlist
2021
2021 Best Guidebook – Popular Award
Streetcar2Subduction (https://www.agu.org/learn-and-develop/learn/streetcar2subduction/streetcar2subduction)
2021 Outstanding Geologic Field Trip Guidebook Series Award
Utah Geological Association (https://utahgeology.org/)
2020
2020 Best Guidebook – Professional Award
Geology and Paleontology of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Geological Association of New Jersey, 2019. Read online guidebook at: http://www.ganj.org/PDF%20Proceedings/2019_GANJ_XXXVI.pdf
2020 Best Guidebook – Popular Award
Geology of Flagstaff and Geologic History of Rio de Flag, Northern Arizona, with Trail Guides to Geology along Rio de Flag by R.F. Holm. Arizona Geological Survey, 2019
View the guidebook at: http://repository.azgs.az.gov/sites/default/files/dlio/files/nid1915/dte-23riodeflag-holm-opt.pdf
2020 Outstanding Geologic Field Trip Guidebook Series Award
The Field Conference of Pennsylvania Geologists (www.fcopg.org/) was honored with the Outstanding Geologic Field Trip Guidebook Series Award in recognition of its eight decades of publishing roadlogs and field guides. Dwight Hunter, chair of the GSIS Guidebooks Committee, commended the organization for its “masterful job of maintaining active interest and support for geologic field trips” and its scholarship support for student participation. The Field Conference’s entire archive of field trip guides is openly accessible online.
2019
2019 Best Guidebook – Professional Award
Trip leaders: John Harper and Albert Kollar. Geology of the Early Iron Industry in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh Geological Society field trip, May 26, 2018.
2019 Best Guidebook (Popular) Award
Edgar W. Spencer Guide to the Geology & Natural History of the Blue Ridge Mountains, University of Virginia Press, 2017.
2019 Outstanding Geologic Field Trip Guidebook Series Award
New York State Geological Association
2018
2018 Best Guidebook Award
Gösta Hoffmann, Martin Meschede, Anne Zacke, and Mohammed Al Kindi. Field Guide to the Geology of Northeastern Oman. Stuttgart : Borntraeger Science Publishers, 2016.
2018 Best Guidebook – Honorable Mention
Dale Leckie. Rocks, Ridges, and Rivers: Geological Wonders of Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks: a Roadside Tour Guide. Calgary, Alberta: Broken Poplars, 2017.
2018 Best Guidebook (Popular) Award
Frank DeCourten and Norma Biggar. Roadside Geology of Nevada. Missoula, Montana: Mountain Press Publishing Company, 2017.
2018 Outstanding Geological Field Trip Guidebook Series Award
New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference
2017
Best Guidebook Award
David A. Kring. Guidebook to the Geology of Barringer Meteorite Crater, Arizona (a.k.a. Meteor Crater), 2nd edition. Lunar and Planetary Institute, 2017.
Best Guidebook (Popular) Award
Arthur G Sylvester and Elizabeth O’Black Gans. Roadside Geology of Southern California, Mountain Press, 2016.
Outstanding Geologic Field Trip Guidebook Series Award
Geological Society of America;
2016
Best Guidebook Award
Muffler, L.J. Patrick and Clynne, Michael. Geologic field-trip guide to Lassen Volcanic National Park and vicinity, California. U.S. Geological Survey, 2015.
Outstanding Geologic Field Trip Guidebook Series Award
Annual Meeting Field Trip Guidebooks; The Institute on Lake Superior Geology.
2015
Best Guidebook Award
Zeigler, Kate; Timmons, J. Michael; Timmons, Stacey; and Semken, Steve. Geology of Route 66 Region: Flagstaff to Grants. New Mexico Geological Society, 2013.
Outstanding Geologic Field Trip Guidebook Series Award
Roadside Geology of…; Mountain Press Publishing Company.
2014
Best Guidebook Award
Hild, Martha Hickman. The Geology of Newfoundland Field Guide: Touring Through Time at 48 Scenic Sites. Boulder Publications, 2012.
2013
Best Guidebook Award
Rose, Bill and Olson, Justin. Isle Royale: Keweenaw Rift Geology Field Trip. Institute of Lake Superior Geology, 2013.
and
Nick Eyles. Road Rocks: Ontario: Over 250 Geological Wonders to Discover. Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2013.
2012
Best Guidebook Award
Mickelson, David M.; Maher Jr., Louis J.; and Simpson, Susan L. Geology of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. University of Wisconsin Press, 2011.
2011
Best Guidebook Award
Fassett, James E.; Zeigler, Kate E.; and Lueth, Virgil (editors). Geology of the Four Corners Country. Socorro, NM: New Mexico Geological Society, Guidebook 61, 2010.
2010
Best Guidebook Award
Southworth, Scott; Brezinski, D. K.; Orndorff, R.C.; Repetski, J.E.; and Denenny, D.M. Geology of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Potomac River corridor, District of Columbia, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1691, 2008.
2009
Best Guidebook Award
Pringle, Patrick T. Roadside geology of Mount Rainier National Park and vicinity. Olympia, WA: Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources Information Circular 107, 2008.
2008
Best Guidebook Award
Inners, Jon D. et al. Rifts, Diabase, and the Topographic “Fishhook”: Terrain and Military Geology of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863. Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania Geological Survey, Open-File Report 06-02.
2007
Best Guidebook Award
Spencer G. Lucas et al., (editors). Geology of the Chama Basin. Socorro, NM: New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook 56, 2005.
and
Carol S. Prentice et al., (editors). 1906 San Francisco earthquake centennial field guides: field trips associated with the 100th anniversary conference, 18-23 April 2006, San Francisco, California. Boulder, CO: Geological Society of America, Field guide 7, 2006.
2006
Best Guidebook Award
Scott Southworth and William Burton (editors). Geology of the National Capital Region: field trip guidebook. Reston, VA: U.S. Geological Survey, Circular 1264, 2004.
2005
Best Guidebook Award
George C. Dunne and John Cooper (compilers). Geologic Excursions in the California Deserts and adjacent Transverse Ranges. Fullerton, CA: Pacific Section SEPM, Book 88, 2001.
2002 – 2004
No award.
2001
Best Guidebook Award
Timothy F. Lawton, Nancy J. McMillan, and Virginia T. McLemore (editors). Southwest Passage: a Trip through the Phanerozoic. Socorro, NM: New Mexico Geological Society, Guidebook 51, 2000.
2000
Best Guidebook Award
Scott S. Hughes and Glenn D. Thackray, Guidebook to the Geology of Eastern Idaho, published in conjunction with the 1999 meeting of the Rocky Mountain Section of the Geological Society of America. Pocatello, ID: Idaho Museum of Natural History, 1999.
1999
Best Guidebook Award
Duebendorfer, E. M. (editor), Geologic Excursions in Northern and Central Arizona; GSA Rocky Mountain Section, May 1998. Flagstaff, AZ: Northern Arizona University Department of Geology, 1998.
1998
No award.
1997
Best Guidebook Award
Steven M. Green and Erick Struhsacker, Geology and Ore Deposits of the American Cordillera: field trip guidebook compendium. Reno, NV: Geological Society of Nevada, 1996.
1996
Best Guidebook Award
H. L. James, Geologic and Historic Guide to the Beartooth Highway, Montana and Wyoming. Butte, MT: Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, Special Publication 110, 1995.
1995
Best Guidebook Award
T. J. Bornhorst and W. I. Rose, Self-guided Geological Field Trip to the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan. Mt. Horeb, WI: Institute on Lake Superior Geology, its Proceedings, v. 40, pt. 2., 1995.
1994
Best Guidebook Award
R. Michael Easton and Terry R. Carter (editors), The Basement Geology and the Precambrian-Paleozoic Unconformity in Southern Ontario. Waterloo, Ontario: Geological Association of Canada, 1994.
1993
Best Guidebook Award
Thomas D. Fouch, Vito F. Nuccio and Thomas C. Chidsey, Jr. (editors), Hydrocarbon and Mineral Resources of the Uinta Basin, Utah and Colorado. Salt Lake City, UT: Utah Geological Association, Guidebook 20, 1992.
1992
Best Guidebook Award
Kenneth S. Johnson (editor), The Arbuckle Group Core Workshop and Field Trip. Norman OK: Oklahoma Geological Survey, Publication 91-3, 1991.
1991
Best Guidebook Award
Michael Doukas, Road Guide to Volcanic Deposits of Mount St. Helens and Vicinity. Reston, VA: U.S. Geological Survey, Bulletin 1859, 1990.
1990
Best Guidebook Award
Charles Chapin and Ziri Jidek, Field Excursions to Volcanic Terranes in the Western United States. Socorro, NM: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Memoirs 46-47,1989.