OCLC Inclusion Initiative Sponsors Spectrum Leadership Institute’s Professional Options Fair
Contact: Miguel A. Figueroa
Director, ALA Office for Diversity
(312) 280-5295
NEWS
For Immediate Release
July 2, 2009
CHICAGO - The American Library Association’s Office for Diversity and Spectrum Scholarship Program are pleased to announce the Online Computer Library Center, Inc. (OCLC) Inclusion Initiative as a sponsor for the Professional Options Fair at the 2009 Spectrum Leadership Institute held July 8-10.Â
The Spectrum Leadership Institute provides three days of leadership programming for the current class of Spectrum Scholars prior to the ALA Annual Conference held July 9 – 15 in Chicago. This year’s Institute will be attended by an additional 20 students and new professionals, funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Reach21 Grant, selected from various library recruitment initiatives around the country.
The Professional Options Fair presented by the OCLC Inclusion Initiative will offer Spectrum Leadership Institute attendees an opportunity to discuss careers in various areas of librarianship. Over 60 professionals representing various library specialties, associations, ALA divisions and recruitment initiatives have volunteered their time to network with and advise the Spectrum Scholars.Â
Established in 1997, the Spectrum Scholarship Program has become one of the most important drivers of diversity in the library profession. The program awards scholarships for graduate programs in library and information studies to students from five professionally under-represented groups: American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino or Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander.
To date, Spectrum has provided a one-year $5,000 scholarship and more than $1,500 in professional development opportunities to 600 graduate students. Former Spectrum Scholars now serve on ALA Council and numerous professional committees; head branches and departments of public and academic libraries; work in and manage law, medical and special libraries; lead efforts to explore and integrate new technologies; and find numerous ways to give back to the profession and promote librarianship at large.
OCLC established the Inclusion Initiative to broaden the diversity of talent in the organization and to ensure that OCLC's culture seeks to include a wide spectrum of perspectives. OCLC remains committed to creating an inclusive work environment where diversity and inclusion are embraced and valued. To learn more about the OCLC Inclusion Initiative, please visit (
http://www.oclc.org/us/en/careers/people/default.htm) or contact Jerome Offord, Jr., Manager, OCLC Corporate Inclusion, at
offordj@oclc.org.
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