Spectrum Scholarship Program
About the Spectrum Scholarship Program
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.
Through the Spectrum Scholarship Program, the American Library Association affirms its commitment to diversity and inclusion by seeking the broadest participation of new generations of racially and ethnically diverse librarians to position ALA to provide leadership in the transformation of libraries and library services.
Applications for the program open on September 1st, and close March 1st of each year. Common questions about the scholarship and more information about the application process can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Donate to the Spectrum Scholarship Fund
Contribute to ALA's national diversity and recruitment effort designed to address the specific issue of under-representation of critically needed ethnic librarians.
Spectrum News
Spectrum Scholarship Program announces Sponsorships for the 2024-2025 Scholarship Cohort
The American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services awarded Spectrum Scholarships to 70 exceptional MLIS in 2024, thanks to generous donations from sponsors, ALA groups, and community members.
Scholar Spotlight: Cindy Hohl (2016) in Conversation with the Spectrum Advisory Committee
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
ALA announces 2024-2025 Spectrum Scholars
The American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services awarded 2023 Spectrum Scholarships to 70 exceptional students pursuing graduate degrees in library and information studies.
Scholar Spotlight: Luisa Leija (2020) in Conversation with the Spectrum Advisory Committee
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
Scholar Spotlight: Jerrell Jones (2021) in Conversation with the Spectrum Advisory Committee
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
Scholar Spotlight: Iliana Burgos (2019) in Conversation with the Spectrum Advisory Committee
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
Tuliao Swims Again to Support Spectrum
Miriam Tuliao has announced that she will swim Grimaldo's Mile, a one mile open water event in New York City, on July 9th to raise funds for ALA’s Spectrum Scholarship Program. This is Tuliao's 15th consecutive year organizing an annual fundraiser for Spectrum.
New ALA endowment honoring Satia Marshall Orange to benefit Spectrum Scholarship Program
From 1997 to 2009, Satia Marshall Orange guided what is now the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services (ODLOS), working on behalf of underserved populations and promoting diversity within the field of librarianship. Now, on the occasion of her 80th birthday, her work is being honored with the establishment of the Satia Marshall Orange Spectrum Scholarship Endowment Fund.
ALA announces Spectrum Doctoral Fellowship Program and informational session
CHICAGO - The American Library Association (ALA) is pleased to announce the return of the Spectrum Doctoral Fellowship Program. Building off the success of the Spectrum Scholarship Program which provides one-year academic funding for LIS students who identify as American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, the Spectrum Doctoral Fellowship Program seeks to recruit diverse LIS faculty members.
ALA Awards Spectrum Scholarships for 2021
CHICAGO — Today, the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services awarded the 2021 Spectrum Scholarships to 60 exceptional students pursuing graduate degrees in library and information studies.
Q&A: April M. Hathcock (2012), Dr. Antonia Olivas (2002), Lalitha Nataraj (2005), Sofia Leung, and Jorge López-McKnight of Knowledge Justice are interviewed by Mimosa Shah (2020)
This interview was conducted via email with Sofia Leung and Jorge López-McKnight, co-editors of the recently published Knowledge Justice: Disrupting Library and Information Studies through
2021 ALA Elections: Spectrum Leaders
The Spectrum Advisory Committee has compiled this list of Spectrum Scholars standing for office in the 2021 ALA Elections. We encourage you to support the
Candidate Q&A: Interviews with candidates for ALA President 2022-2023
The Spectrum Advisory Committee compiled topics from the Spectrum community and created three questions to pose to the candidates for the 2022-2023 ALA Presidency: Stacey
Q&A with Javier Barrios, interviewed by Tommy Vinh Bui (2015)
Javier Barrios is a librarian for the Writers Guild Library in Los Angeles, California. The Writers Guild Library is the world’s only library and archive
