2010 EBSCO/ALA Conference Sponsorship Award Winners announced

Cheryl Malden
ALA Program Officer
312-280-3247

Heather Klusendorf
Media Relations Coordinator
EBSCO Information Services
205-995-1539

NEWS
For Immediate Release
March 30, 2010

CHICAGO/BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The American Library Association (ALA) and EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) are announcing the following winners of the 2010 EBSCO/ALA Conference Sponsorship awards. The seven awards, each in the amount of $1,000, are presented annually to professional librarians who are members of the American Library Association, enabling them to attend the ALA Annual Conference June 24-30, 2010, in Washington, D.C.:

  • Sonnet Erin Brown, assistant librarian, Earl K Long Library, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, La.
  • Min Chou, reference librarian, New Jersey City University Library, Jersey City, N.J.
  • Jaime Corris Hammond, reference/serials librarian, Naugatuck Valley Community College Library, Waterbury, Conn.
  • Hyun-Duck Chung, librarian for management and entrepreneurship, Raleigh, N.C.
  • Judith A Downie, humanities & government documents librarian, California State University San Marcos, Kellogg Library, San Marcos, Calif.
  • Jenny Emanuel, digital resources & reference librarian, University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign, Urbana, Ill.
  • Valeria Gallo Stampino, community development librarian, Vancouver B.C., Canada

The winners hail from Canada and six different states—from California to North Carolina— representing various types of library organizations, including academic and public libraries, as well as multiple librarian classifications.

In order to be considered for the award, each candidate must complete an application form, which includes an essay on how conference attendance would promote their professional development. The essays are then evaluated by a jury of library professionals for clarity of content, goals, benefits of attendance, commitment to ALA and the library profession, enthusiasm, financial need and potential for growth. “As you might imagine, the committee received many strong applications for this prestigious award,” says Laurel Bliss, award committee chair. “The seven librarians receiving the 2010 EBSCO Conference Sponsorship were selected based on the quality of their essays, which addressed the question of ‘How will attending this ALA Conference contribute to my professional development?’ Each essay ably demonstrated the writer’s passionate dedication to librarianship and an eagerness to make the most of their conference experience."

This is a time of very rapid change and financial challenge for libraries," says Kittie Henderson, director of academic and law divisions, EBSCO. "With many institutions unable to support professional development opportunities and travel as in the past, EBSCO is very pleased to continue their fifteen-year tradition of offering scholarships to attend ALA."

In addition to being featured in a photographic exhibit of award winners near the ALA Registration Area at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C., the award recipients will be hosted at an EBSCO-sponsored breakfast during the conference.

EBSCO and ALA have partnered for more than 15 years in this special program, enabling numerous librarians to attend the annual conference and to benefit from interaction with their colleagues.

The 2010 EBSCO/ALA Conference Sponsorship Award jury members are: Laurel M. Bliss, San Diego State University Library, La Mesa, Calif; Sally A. Daniels, Cicero North Syracuse High School, Pennellville, N.Y.; John J. Meier, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa; Beth Boyson, Bozeman Public Library, Bozeman, Mont.; John G. Jaffe, Sweet Briar College Mary Helen Cochran Library, Sweet Briar, Va.


The deadline for applications for the 2011 EBSCO/ALA Conference Sponsorship Award is Dec. 1, 2010. Guidelines and application forms are available on the ALA Web site, http://www.ala.org, in the Awards & Grants section under Grants and Fellowships.

The American Library Association promotes library service and librarianship. The stated mission is, “To provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.” For more information, please visit www.ala.org

Established in 1944, EBSCO is the world’s leading information agent providing consultative services and cutting-edge technology for managing and accessing quality content, including print and e-journals, e-packages, research databases, e-books and more. Now more than ever libraries and research organizations are looking for new ways to manage their collections more efficiently. EBSCO has developed the most comprehensive “e” discovery and management solutions, offering unparalleled integration to help librarians save time and money while empowering their users.

EBSCO serves clients in more than 200 countries through our 31 offices worldwide with more than 140 librarians on staff. To learn more about EBSCO’s products and services, visit www.ebsco.com.