Rachel Salvatori Selected as the 2025 Miriam L. Hornback Scholarship Recipient

The American Library Association (ALA) is pleased to announce the selection of Rachel Salvatori of Nashville, Tennessee as the 2025 Miriam L. Hornback Scholarship recipient.

The $3,000 award is given to an ALA or library support staff member to help finance the pursuit of a master’s degree in library and information studies. The scholarship was named in memory of Miriam L. Hornback, a longtime ALA staff member, who was secretariat to the ALA Council and Executive Board.

In reflecting on experiences that led her to a career path in the library profession, Salvatori says she has “fond memories of biking to her neighborhood public library as a child and learning how to type from her elementary school’s librarian.” Salvatori comments that the most impactful experience which drove her interest in information accessibility was a research project completed as an undergraduate student. The project led to Salvatori spending time volunteering and working in libraries, which she says has “deepened her appreciation and love for library work.”

Salvatori commented that she has “come to understand that libraries are not just places to check out books. They are also spaces where members of the community go to engage with others and enjoy access to a myriad of free resources. They are places where individuals can read, rest, or merely exist without having to pay. A library is a haven and an invaluable resource for all communities.”

Salvatori stated that she “is excited by the opportunity provided through her MLS program to discover the variety of ways in which she can serve her community.” Her work in a biomedical library “instilled a more nuanced understanding of what accessibility truly is.” She says she “learned about the importance of not simply providing access, but also how critical it is to empower library patrons by teaching them how to access information for themselves.” Now Salvatori “looks forward to learning and practicing effective facilitation of access to information so that she can help make communities stronger, smarter, and safer.”

Salvatori attends Valdosta State University (Georgia).

For information on the ALA Scholarship program, visit our scholarship page.

The ALA Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment (HRDR) manages the ALA Scholarship Clearinghouse.