Librarian Scholarships

Purpose

To provide opportunities for librarians with five or fewer years of post-MLS experience to update their skills and knowledge by participating in an ACRL professional development experience.

Goals

  • Enhance librarians' ability to provide excellent services to constituent groups
  • Increase participation of entry-level and minority librarians in ACRL professional development activities
  • Increase ACRL's efforts toward being a more inclusive organization
  • Provide members with an active, positive interaction with ACRL that will strengthen membership retention

Award

Fifty scholarships will be awarded. Each will include complimentary registration (a $380 value), and $250 stipend to attend the ACRL 2013 conference, April 10 - 13, 2013 in Indianapolis, IN. The total value of each scholarship is $630.

Eligibility Criteria

Scholarship applicants must be:

  • ACRL members with five or fewer years of post-MLS professional library experience (excluding work study or student work)
  • Currently employed in a library; preference will be given to applicants employed in an academic or research library
  • Recommended by the their dean, director, or immediate supervisor

Application Process

To be considered, applicants must:

  • Obtain a recommendation from their dean/director/supervisor in electronic form that can be cut and pasted into the application (not to exceed 300 words).
  • Complete the online Librarian Scholarship Application. The application includes a brief description of the applicant's employment history as well as a description of how attendance at the ACRL conference will support their long-term goals (not to exceed 300 words).

NOTE: Only electronic submissions via the Librarian Scholarship Application will be considered. The form does not allow submissions to be saved and resumed. Prepare your answers and have your recommendation obtained before starting the online application. Please double-check all your answers before pushing the ‘submit’ button.

Deadline for Submission

The application deadline is Friday, November 9, 2012 (11:59 p.m. Central).

Selection Criteria

The award committee consists of members of the ACRL Conference Scholarship Committee. The committee will strive to achieve both diversity and balance among scholarship recipients based on the following factors:

  • Responses to open-ended questions on the application form
  • Dean/director/supervisor recommendation
  • Educational experience, background and geographical diversity

In awarding the scholarships, particular attention will be given to librarians from diverse backgrounds and those employed at institutions or in a position to serve under-represented groups. Preference will be given to individuals who have not previously been awarded an ACRL scholarship. Individuals may only receive one ACRL scholarship per professional development event.

Selection Notification

Scholarship applicants will be notified via e-mail by January 31, 2013. Applicants should not register for the ACRL 2013 conference until notified of their status to avoid the need for refunds. The discounted early-bird registration rate will be available until February 22, 2013 for those that may not receive a scholarship, but still want to attend.

For questions contact Tory Ondrla, ACRL Conference Supervisor at tondrla@ala.org.