Thompson

Jeffrey Thompson is the 2004 recipient of the Century Scholarship presented by the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). Thompson has been accepted to the Library and Information Science master’s program at the University of California at Los Angeles. The independently funded Century Scholarship is a diversity initiative aimed at promoting the ALA’s mission of improving service at the local level through the development of a representative workforce that reflects the communities served by all libraries in the new millennium. The Century Scholarship is a $2,500 monetary award given annually to a student or students pursuing a degree in library and information science. “Jeffrey Thompson is an exemplary role model in his scholarly achievement and desire to advocate on disability issues,” stated Elizabeth Ridler, Century Scholarship Jury Committee Chair. “Thompson plans to enhance his legal degree and paralegal experience with a Masters of Library Information Science so he can practice as a law librarian in an academic setting. In the past, his efficient use of library resources has been hindered in libraries, which provided little access to service for individuals with vision disabilities like him. His goal is to improve access to library resources for all people, including those with disabilities.” The scholarship was presented June 27, 2004, at the ASCLA President’s Program and Award Ceremony during the ALA Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla.