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. The Core/OCLC Spectrum Scholarship in Library and Information Technology is designed to address the specific issue of under-representation of racially and ethnically diverse librarians within library technology.
This scholarship is for study in an ALA Accredited Master of Library Science (MLS) program. Each scholar receives $5,000 from ALA to combat the rising cost of graduate education, as well as $1,500 to attend the Spectrum Leadership Institute held during the ALA Annual Conference. The application form is open October to February each year.
Benefits
Spectrum Scholars receive a number of benefits in addition to their scholarship funds, these include:
- Complimentary one-year student membership to ALA (includes a one-year subscription to American Libraries);
- Free student admission to ALA Annual Conference during the scholarship year;
- Free attendance to the Spectrum Leadership Institute: a three-day institute that highlights cross-cultural models of leadership and features national library and community leaders;
- Complimentary memberships to ALA divisions and participating Round Tables and Affiliates during the scholarship year;
- Formal and informal mentoring opportunities;
- Opportunities for matching scholarships from participating library schools and other regional library associations;
- Access to colleagues via an electronic discussion list, and various private and open online communities;
- Posted information on job/internship/residency opportunities all over the country and in different types of libraries;
- Networking with other Spectrum Scholars and library leaders;
- Participation in a national library diversity initiative and the recognition merited by this distinction;
- Invitations to present at forums, conferences, and institutes;
- Opportunities to apply for travel grants to regional institutes and conferences.
Criteria
To be eligible for a Spectrum Scholarship, you should:
- be a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. or Canada;
- identify as American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern/North African, and/or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander;
- attend an ALA-accredited graduate program in library and information studies or an AASL-recognized School Library Media Program;
- be enrolled in an accredited program and begin no later than September 1 or fall semester;
- have full- or part-time status;
- plan to maintain a minimum course load of two classes per semester while receiving your scholarship funds.
How to Apply
To submit an application for a Spectrum Scholarship, the following items are required:
- Completed online application (which includes a personal statement);
- Three professional references (only references on the official online form will be accepted). You will be prompted to indicate your professional references within the online application;
- Official academic transcripts from the institution where you received your bachelor’s degree. If you are currently enrolled in an MLIS program or an AASL-recognized School Library Media Program, you will need to send a transcript from your current institution, as well. Only official (sealed) copies will be accepted.
The ALA Scholarship Clearinghouse reviews the applications and selects the scholarship winner.
The link to the application form and instructions for filling it out are available on the ALA Spectrum Scholarship Program site. All applications, references, transcripts, and other documents must be received no later than March 1, for that year's scholarship.
Recipients
Fiona Rae Brown, 2022-23
David Satten-López, 2021-22