Lois Mai Chan Professional Development Grant

The Lois Mai Chan Professional Development Grant will not be presented in 2021. Please visit the Core Awards & Scholarships page for information on the Core awards that will be presented for 2020-2021.

Purpose

This grant was established in 2017 by the Cataloging and Metadata Management Section (CaMMS) of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) to honor the career and influence of Lois Mai Chan, distinguished leader, author, and mentor in the field of metadata creation and standards.

Over four decades, Chan was instrumental in the development of standards and best practices, writing over sixty scholarly articles and outstanding text books on cataloging and classification. She was a member of the American Library Association since 1960, serving on numerous committees including the Subject Analysis Committee, the International Relations Committee, and the executive Committee of the Cataloging and Classification Section. Chan was active in the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) where she a member of the Classification and Indexing Standing Committee and Knowledge Management Standing Committee, and the Working Group on the Functional Requirements for Subject Authority Records (FRSAR). Chan also contributed to the enhancement or creation of the major schemas for subject analysis as a consultant to the Library of Congress on the Library of Congress Subject Headings and the Library of Congress Classification and to OCLC on the Dewey Decimal Classification and the Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST). She was the 1989 recipient of the Margaret Mann Citation, the highest honor in cataloging bestowed by the American Library Association, and the 2006 recipient of the Beta Phi Mu Award, presented to a library school faculty member or to an individual for distinguished service to education in librarianship. This grant recognizes Chan’s wide ranging contributions and deep commitment to the field of library cataloging and classification.

The Lois Mai Chan Professional Development Grant is awarded by the ALCTS Cataloging and Metadata Management Section to provide librarians and paraprofessionals from under-represented groups new to the metadata field with the opportunity to attend a professional conference and encourages professional development through active participation at the national level.  The grant is to be used for airfare, lodging, and registration fees to attend the ALA Annual Conference.

Criteria

Nominees or applicants must:

  1. Have ten or fewer years of experience in the field of metadata creation and/or management
  2. Identify with one or more of the following groups:
    • Historically disadvantaged racial and ethnic groups
    • Those discriminated against based on gender or sexual identities and expressions
    • Those from protected classes including, but not limited to, age, religion, and disability status
    • Those discriminated against based on nationality or language
    • Those who experience socio-economic barriers
    • People geographically isolated
    • People experiencing financial need
    • Immigrants, refugees, and new Americans
  3. Exhibit evidence of or interest in a career as a library metadata specialist as demonstrated by activities that may include (but are not limited to) past coursework, internships, jobs, special projects, and publications
  4. Have 1-3 recommendations from colleague(s)
  5. Express desire as stated in a short essay (up to 500 words) on the following theme: How would receiving the Lois Mai Chan Professional Development Grant further your professional development goals?
  6. Be willing to participate in designated conference events:
    • Work with a member of the jury or the CaMMS Executive Committee to identify relevant programs and interest group sessions to attend
    • Attend at least one CaMMS program, committee meeting, or interest group meeting
    • Submit a brief report on the conference experience for ALCTS News

Note: Membership in ALA, ALCTS, and/or CaMMS is not required to be eligible for the grant. Preference will be given to applicants who have never attended an ALA Annual Conference.

Submission

Nominations and applications shall include:

  1. Name, address, phone number, and email address of the nominee and nominating party or applicant
  2. Letter of application or nomination
  3. At least one, but no more than three, letter(s) of recommendation from professional colleague(s) who know the candidate and their work
  4. A resume or curriculum vitae
  5. A short essay (up to 500 words) on the following theme: How would receiving the Lois Mai Chan Professional Development Grant further your professional development goals?

Nominations and applications for persons not selected for the grant in one year may be resubmitted provided the person still meets the criteria. Previous winners are not eligible.

Award

The grant consists of $1,000 cash, an individual registration for the ALA Annual Conference, and a citation. The grant is applicable toward airfare, lodging, and other ticketed events related to ALA Annual Conference attendance. The grant is made possible by a donation by Netanel Ganin.

Presentation

The grant is presented during the American Library Association Annual Conference each year at the ALCTS Awards Ceremony and Membership Meeting. The first grant will be awarded in 2018.

Awards Jury

The Lois Mai Chan Professional Development Grant will not be presented in 2021. Please visit the Core Awards & Scholarships page for information on the Core awards that will be presented for 2020-2021.

Recipients

Year Recipient
2020 Sol María López
2019 Ruth Baker-Gardner
2018 Treshani Perera