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Professional Development

MLIS Student Scholarships

ALA Century Scholarship
An annual scholarship of $2,500 that funds services or accommodation for a library school student(s) with disabilities admitted to an ALA-accredited library school. Application deadline is March 1, 2024.

 

APALA Scholarship
The APALA Scholarship will provide financial assistance to a student of Asian or Pacific background who is enrolled in, or has been accepted into, a master’s or doctoral degree program in library and/or information science at a school accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). The APALA Scholarship online application will open by January 30, 2024.

 

BCALA Baker & Taylor Award (library support staff recognition)
This award, sponsored by Baker & Taylor, recognizes dedicated and outstanding performance by a library support staff member. N/A deadline

 

BCALA E.J. Josey Scholarship Award
The E.J. Josey Scholarships are unrestricted grants of $2,000, awarded annually to African American students enrolled in or accepted by ALA-accredited programs. The 2023-2024 E.J. Josey Scholarship Award Committee of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association seeks essay submissions. The deadline to submit your essay is January 12, 2024.

 

Beta Phi Mu Scholarships, Awards, and Fellowships
Each year, Beta Phi Mu provides multiple scholarships and awards for study and research related to Library and Information Science, in addition to administering the Eugene Garfield Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships. The 2023-24 Beta Phi Mu scholarship season is now OPEN. The scholarship deadline is February 1, 2024. To apply, please complete the online application.

 

Christopher Hoy/ERT Scholarship
An annual scholarship consisting of $5,000 to a U.S./Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is pursuing an MLS in an ALA-accredited program. Application deadline is March 1, 2024.

 

CLA Scholarship for Black, Indigenous, People of Color Students in Memory of Edna Yelland
The CLA Scholarship for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Students in Memory of Edna Yelland encourages and supports ethnic minority students in the attainment of a graduate degree in library or information studies and encourages commitment to the improvement of library services to ethnic minority communities. A maximum of three scholarships are awarded each year. Application deadline is March 17, 2023.

 

CLA The Begun Scholarship
Supports continuing library school students who have demonstrated a commitment to becoming children's or young adult librarians in a California public library. Application deadline is March 17, 2023.

 

David H. Clift Scholarship
An annual scholarship consisting of $3,000 to a U.S./Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is pursuing an MLS in an ALA-accredited program. Application deadline is March 1, 2024.

 

Ilene F. Rockman CARL/ACRL Conference Scholarship
The Ilene F. Rockman Scholarship, offered by the California Academic and Research Libraries division of the Association of College and Research Libraries, is available for MLIS students interested in academic librarianship careers. The scholarship covers expenses to attend the biennial CARL conference ($500) and ACRL conference ($1000), which take place on alternate years.

 

James V. Mink Scholarship
James V. Mink Scholarship promotes professional development and enables archival studies students or recent graduates to attend both the SCA Annual General Meeting and a pre-conference workshop. The application process for AGM 2023 is now open. Please send your application form by Monday, January 29, 2024.

 

Josephine Forman Scholarship
The Josephine Forman Scholarship provides financial support to minority students pursuing graduate education in archival science, encourages students to pursue a career as an archivist, and promotes the diversification of the American archives profession. All applications must be submitted by February 28 of each year

 

Kaleidoscope Program

The Kaleidoscope Program is diversifying the profession by providing generous funding for MLIS education and a suite of related benefits, including mentoring, leadership and professional development, and career placement assistance. The application for the 2023–2025 Kaleidoscope Program cohort will open in April 2023.

 

Karen Gersten-Sternheim Memorial Scholarship
Scholarship is awarded annually by the SLA-SCC to a student member pursuing a career in special librarianship. Applicants must be members of the Southern California Chapter of the Special Libraries Association. 

 

LITA / Christian (Chris) Larew Memorial Scholarship

The LITA / Christian (Chris) Larew Memorial Scholarship, begun in 1999, is awarded jointly on an annual basis currently in the amount of $3,000, by the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), a division of the American Library Association, and Baker & Taylor. The scholarship is designed to encourage the entry of qualified persons into the library and information technology field, who plan to follow a career in that field, and who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, and a vision in pursuit of library and information technology. This scholarship is for study in an ALA Accredited Master of Library Science (MLS) program.

 

LITA / OCLC Spectrum Scholarship

The LITA / OCLC Spectrum Scholarship in Library and Information Technology, begun in 1998, is awarded jointly on an annual basis currently in the amount of $5,000. The scholarship is designed to address the specific issue of under-representation of critically needed ethnic librarians within the profession while serving as a model for ways to bring attention to larger diversity issues in the future. This scholarship is for study in an ALA Accredited Master of Library Science (MLS) program. 

 

Locke Morrisey Scholarship
The $1,500 Locke Morrisey Scholarship, named in January 2011 in memory and honor of our colleague from the University of San Francisco, is awarded to the applicant deemed most outstanding by the SCELC Program and Professional Development Committee. Must be currently employed as professional or support staff at a SCELC member library. Applications are accepted annually, opening in the third Monday of January until the last Friday of the following March.

 

Mary V. Gaver Scholarship
An annual scholarship consisting of $3,000 to a U.S./Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is pursuing an MLS specializing in youth services in an ALA-accredited program. Application deadline is March 1, 2024.

 

Miriam L. Hornback Scholarship (library support staff)
An annual scholarship consisting of $3,000 to an ALA or library support staffer who is a U.S./Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is pursuing an MLS in an ALA-accredited program. Application deadline is March 1, 2024.

 

Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) Scholarship
The Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) offers scholarships to subsidize conference attendance by professional librarians, paraprofessionals, and students. 

 

REFORMA Scholarship
The REFORMA Scholarship provides financial assistance to encourage and enable Latinos and/or Spanish speakers to pursue or advance a career in Library and Information Science. Any current or newly entering graduate library school student [M.L.S. or Ph.D.] may apply for these scholarships. The applicant must provide proof of enrollment to an ALA-accredited library school. Full-time status is not a requirement. Application deadline is March 15, 2023.

 

Rose Treviño Memorial Scholarship
The Rose Treviño Memorial Scholarship is for those pursuing a degree in children's or young adult librarianship. 

 

SALALM Conference Attendance Scholarship
The Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials (SALALM) Scholarship is a conference travel award of up to $1500 for a master’s student in an ALA-accredited library and information science or archival studies program to defray the costs of attending the SALALM annual conference. 

 

Spectrum Scholarship
The Spectrum Scholarship Program actively recruits and provides scholarships to American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern and North African, and/or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students to assist them with obtaining a graduate degree and leadership positions within the profession and ALA. Applications for all ALA Scholarships are accepted annually from September to March 1.

 

The Rita Torres / Bibliotecas Para La Gente Scholarship (SJSU students)
Bibliotecas Para La Gente (BPLG) has established a $3000 scholarship for a new or a continuing San Jose State University (SJSU) iSchool student who has demonstrated an interest in furthering the goals of BPLG in providing library service to the Spanish-speaking and Latino communities. Scholarship Application opens June 1, 2024. Deadline to submit is June 30, 2024.

 

Tom and Roberta Drewes Scholarship (library support staff)
An annual scholarship consisting of $3,000 to a library support-staff member who is a U.S./Canadian citizen or permanent resident and is pursuing an MLS in an ALA-accredited program. Application deadline is March 1, 2024.

 

Tony B. Leisner Scholarship (library support staff)
An annual scholarship consisting of $3,000 to a library support-staff member who is a U.S./Canadian citizen or permanent resident pursuing an MLS in an ALA-accredited program. Application deadline is March 1, 2024.

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