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Kimberly Sanders
Program Officer, Education & Scholarships
ALA, Human Resource Development & Recruitment (HRDR)
800-545-2433 x4279
ksanders@ala.org

For Immediate Release
July 29, 2008

2008 Cicely Phippen Marks Scholarship recipient named

CHICAGO - The American Library Association (ALA) is pleased to announce Alina J. Johnson of Detroit, Mich., has received the 2008 Cicely Phippen Marks Scholarship.

The $1,500 scholarship was established through a generous donation from her husband, Charles L. Garris, and sponsored by the Federal and Armed Forces Round Table (FAFLRT).  It  is awarded to individuals pursuing a master’s degree in library and information studies with a focus on federal librarianship.

Johnson’s career interests lay in the merging of technology and information.  As an AmeriCORPS alumna, she has demonstrated her commitment to serving others as by providing technology training, mentoring and motivating  adults and youths to serve local programming needs.  She has received several professional computer certifications, and degrees with honors in business administration.  Her academic success led her to participate in her school’s Alternative Spring Break program where she spent a week at the ALA’s Washington Office helping to identify, compare and contaact the information policy (InfoPol) agencies in the area. 

Johnson’s goal is to use contacts in  academia, librarianship, and private industry to forge relationships that foster cooperation among disparate entities for better communication, partnerships and understanding.  “I believe that it is up to the information specialist to transcend language barriers and software applications and other technologies to serve the public good,” said Johnson.

Johnson attends University of Michigan.