For immediate release | September 14, 2026
Garvey Blackwell Selected as the 2026 Tom and Roberta Drewes Scholarship Recipient
2026 Tom and Roberta Drewes Scholarship Recipient - Garvey Blackwell
The American Library Association (ALA) is pleased to announce the selection of Garvey Blackwell of Yuma, Arizona as the 2026 Tom and Roberta Drewes Scholarship recipient.
The $3,000 scholarship is awarded to a library support staff worker who is pursuing a master’s degree in library and information science.
Blackwell’s LIS experience includes public library volunteering, specialized library internships, community college research assistance, a Library of Congress internship, and work with museums and historical societies. These experiences have developed expertise in reference services, cataloging, digital resources, information literacy, and community outreach.
With a Bachelor of Science in Information and Library Science, Blackwell’s interests include digital collections, metadata, information retrieval, knowledge organization, preservation, and emerging technologies. A particular focus centers on reducing the digital divide and expanding equitable access to information and technology.
Career goals include service as a public librarian, academic librarian, or archivist, with a commitment to intellectual freedom, privacy, preservation, inclusive collections, and community-centered programming.
Blackwell’s long-term vision is to help libraries remain accessible, innovative, and essential cultural and educational institutions in a rapidly changing information landscape.
Blackwell will attend Indiana University – Indianapolis.
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.
Contact:
Kimberly L. Redd, MSHTM
Program Manager, Certification & Talent Development
Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment (HRDR)
KLredd@ala.org312.280.4279
