ALSC past-president donation to support additional 2014-2015 ALSC Spectrum Scholar

CHICAGO – Ellen Fader, past-president (2005-2006) of The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) has provided a generous donation to the Spectrum Scholarship. Her contribution will support a student through the 2014-2015 school term, cover a follow-up grant for a Spectrum Scholar alumnus entering the final semester of work in the Fall of 2014 and provide a grant to attend the 2014 ALSC National Institute, plus discretionary funds to use towards job interviews.

 

Fader, a recently retired youth services director from Mulnomah County, Ore., credits ALSC leadership, members and staff with challenging her comfort zones and demonstrating the importance of supporting young people with highly trained staff, customized services and welcoming facilities. “I reflected on my core values of community inclusion and proactive customer service, and recalled the issues I faced as Multnomah County's youth services director,” said Fader. “Repeated challenges recruiting and retaining youth librarians who reflect the increasingly diverse communities the library serves. Adding my support to ALA's already proven Spectrum Scholarship Program seemed the perfect way to join others passionate about making a difference in library services for today's young people.”

 

In 2010, ALSC expanded its commitment to the Spectrum Scholarship Program. ALSC sponsors one Spectrum Scholar each year through the Frederic G. Melcher Endowment. The ALSC Spectrum Scholar is awarded to a Spectrum applicant who expresses an interest in library service to children. Since its founding, Spectrum has provided more than 600 scholarships to qualified applicants enrolled in an ALA-accredited graduate program in library and information studies or an ALA-recognized NCATE School Library Media program.

 

Established in 1997, the Spectrum Scholarship Program is ALA’s national effort to increase diversity in the profession by recruiting and providing scholarships that allow students from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds to become librarians. Spectrum Scholars improve service at the local level because they reflect the communities served by libraries in today’s changing world. Spectrum has provided more than 800 scholarships to qualified applicants enrolled in an ALA-accredited graduate program in library and information studies or an AASL-recognized School Library program. To learn more about the Spectrum Scholarship Program, visit www.ala.org/spectrum.

 

For more information about supporting the Spectrum Scholarship or to make an online donation, visit http://www.ala.org/offices/diversity/spectrum/supportspectrum. To learn more or get involved, contact Gwendolyn Prellwitz, Assistant Director, Office for Diversity & Spectrum at gprellwitz@ala.org, or Kim Olsen-Clark, director, Development Office at kolsen-clark@ala.org.