New ALA scholarship named in honor of Betty J. Turock

Contact: Beatrice Calvin


312-280-4280

ALA News Release


For Immediate Release


April 2001

New ALA scholarship named in honor of Betty J. Turock

As a result of gifts from Dr. David L. Turock and B. Drew Turock, the American Library Association (ALA) has established a new scholarship named in honor of Betty J. Turock, a professor of library and information science at Rutgers University.

The scholarship was established to support the education of a member of a principal minority group enrolled in an ALA-accredited master's program in library and information studies. A $5,000 scholarship will be awarded on an annual basis and administered by the Spectrum Scholarship program, an ALA scholarship fund whose purpose is the same as the Betty J. Turock Scholarship. The first winner of the scholarship will be announced at the ALA 2001 Annual Conference in San Francisco.

Turock has been an active ALA member for many years. She served as ALA president (1995-96), a councilor, a member of the ALA Board and numerous other committees. Throughout her years of service to ALA and its various units, Turock has been committed to broadening the association's diversity efforts. She served on the ALA Minority Concerns and Cultural Diversity Committee and chaired ALA President-elect Sarah Long's Special Advisory Committee on the Spectrum Campaign, which began raising funds for the Spectrum Scholarship.

The establishment of the Betty J. Turock scholarship allows ALA to continue its efforts of putting diversity in action and showcases Turock's personal beliefs in diversity.

The Betty J. Turock scholarship also gives individuals as well as groups the opportunity to support diversity. Anyone interested in contributing to the scholarship may do so by sending donations to the Betty J. Turock Scholarship, c/o ALA Development Office, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611.