ALA announces William R. Gordon Scholarship as newest named Spectrum Scholarship

Contact: Lanie Castle


312-280-5050


lcastle@ala.org

For Immediate Release


May 2002

ALA announces William R. Gordon Scholarship as newest named Spectrum Scholarship

American Library Association (ALA) President John W. Berry is pleased to announce that a new fundraising effort is underway to endow the William R. Gordon Scholarship. This endowment will allow ALA to award one scholarship annually to support the education of a member of a principal minority group in an ALA-accredited MLIS program or an ALA-recognized (NCATE) School Library Media program and will be counted among the Spectrum Scholarships.

The ALA Presidential Task Force on the Spectrum Scholarship Program seeks to raise a minimum of $25,000 to establish a named scholarship in honor of William R. Gordon's legacy of leadership within the ALA and the larger library profession. Gordon will retire as ALA executive director, effective August 31, 2002. As of April 2002, the Task Force is halfway toward its fundraising goal.

"Anyone who knows Bill knows of his lifelong commitment to assisting potential librarians who otherwise might not be able to go to college," Berry said. "Among his accomplishments, he worked with the Library Board of the Prince Georges County Memorial Library System to establish a minority scholarship program to add to other scholarship initiatives of that library. We believe this new ALA scholarship will be a fitting tribute to him and a way to further his goals of education and recruitment to the field of librarianship."

ALA members and friends who donate at least $100 will be named Charter Contributors to the William R. Gordon Scholarship endowment. Charter Contributors will have their names listed on a certificate to be presented to Gordon prior to his retirement. To become a Charter Contributor, please visit the
ALA Development Office Web site and make your gift in support of the William R. Gordon Scholarship via credit card or the printable, mail-in form.

For more information about the William R. Gordon Scholarship, how to contribute to the Spectrum Initiative, or how to create a named scholarship to honor a special individual, please contact Lainie Castle in the ALA Development Office at 1-800-545-2433 ext. 5050.