ALA Student Chapter at Simmons College

The Massachusetts Library Association (MLA/) is gearing up for its annual conference May 2-4 in Sturbridge, MA. Presenters include Stephen Abrams, Nancy Pearl, Michael Stephens, and Linda Braun. Callie Crossley, "commentator, public speaker, writer, broadcast journalist, and filmmaker" will present the keynote address.

Apply by March 22nd to receive one of four Kay Bader Scholarships for MLS candidates and first time attendees. The scholarship covers the cost of registration for each day of the conference attended and half of hotel expenses, but not transportation.

Print registration forms must be postmarked by April 13th to attend without paying additional walk-in rates, online or by sending in the form. Print registration & scholarship forms will be available in the GSLIS student lounge.

If you haven't yet joined ALA, or have joined within the past three months, you can get a joint membership in MLA for the same price! Check the ALA's website for the joint membership application.

Please comment or contact an ALASC officer if you're thinking of attending the conference; we're looking into helping provide transportation to & from the conference for those attending, or arranging rideshares. More to come on these as the conference draws near.

Posted by Melissa Brumsted at 10:00 PM | Permalink

Please see the following message for information on discounted registration fees for the ALA's Annual Conference, to be held this June in Washington, D.C. Note that the "early bird" registration is by March 2nd and plan accordingly! To become a member of ALA's student chapter, please visit the ALA's student membership page.

The ALA Annual Conference is a great place to advance your career and
connect with a wide variety of new colleagues from around the world.

ALA is focused on making your conference experience rewarding. In
addition to the hundreds of programs and networking opportunities at
Annual, special events and programs for first-time conference attendees
have been set up to help you 'do' conference right.

First time attendees will be matched up with an ALA Ambassador to help
you personally make connections to programs, people and places before
conference. Get expert advice on programs to attend, exhibitors to
visit, parties to frequent, and ways to get the most out of conference.

ALA Divisions and Round Tables will be sponsoring 101 programs
throughout the conference to help you navigate programs, meetings and
exhibits based on the kind of work you want do, or the type of library
where you plan to work. First-time attendees will also receive special
invitations to receptions sponsored by exhibitors and library vendors.

Student members of ALA receive significantly discounted rates for the
conference. ALA Student Members can register before March 2nd, 2007 for
only $85.00! If you are not currently a member of ALA, Student
Membership only costs $28.00 per year. Save nearly $100.00 by joining.

Registration rates:
Early Bird (til 3/2/07): $85
Advance (til 5/18): $110
Onsite: $120

Dorm housing will be available in D.C. Hostels and other less expensive
housing options are available as well. Please visit the two sites
below for more information or to register:

Conference website (membership and registration, hotel maps, travel
info, etc.):
http://www.ala.org/ala/eventsandconferencesb/annual/2007a/home.htm

Annual Conference Wiki (info from local people and long timers):
http://wikis.ala.org/annual2007/index.php/Main_Page

For job seekers, the New Members Round Table (NMRT) offers free resume
review services at the Placement Center. Pre-register for the Placement
Center to review the list of libraries that are hiring, and come
prepared to meet prospective employers. Connect with your future career
today at ALA Annual Conference.

Special events this year include the World Premier of "The Hollywood
Librarian: Librarians in Cinema and Society". Get involved in "The
Insider's Guide to Capitol Hill", "Library Day on the Hill", and
volunteer projects as part of "Librarians Build Communities". Hundreds
of programs on nearly every topic in library services are offered.

We look forward to seeing you in D.C.

- The ALA Conference Coordinating Team

Posted by Melissa Brumsted at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Are you a resident of New England? Are you enrolled as a part or full-time student in the MLS program? You could be awarded $1,000-$2,000 by the New England Library Association for continued studies. See Dr. Em Claire Knowles' message below for more information about this scholarship.

Applications available online.

Scholarship application forms and instructions from the New England
Library Association (NELA) are now available. Applications can be found
in the Matarazzo Lounge, or for MHC students with Terry Plum, or online. This year, NELA is awarding four scholarships, two each for
full-time and part-time students who are pursuing Master’s degrees in
the Library and Information Science. The awards are $2,000 for full-time
students and $1,000 for part-time students. Scholarships are open to New
England residents who have demonstrated need for financial assistance
and plan to continue their careers in New England.

Eligible students should submit their completed applications to me, Dr.
Em Claire Knowles, assistant dean for student administrative services,
no later than March 15. After my review and selection of the
applications, I will submit the leading applications to the Educational
Assistance Committee for final review. They will review application and
make awards based on the students’ responses to the essay question
concerning professional goals and objectives.

MHC students please either submit your NELA scholarships to Prof. Plum
or mail your application packet to directly to me.

I encourage all GSLIS students who are residents of New England to
apply. This is a great opportunity for financial assistance as well as
realizing your own goals more clearly.

I look forward to your participation and good luck!

Posted by Melissa Brumsted at 10:32 AM | Permalink

The New Members Round Table (NMRT) is a division of ALA that focuses on bringing new people into the organization and helping them form valuable relationships with other professionals. To apply for this scholarship, you'll have to be a member of ALA and the NMRT division. Stay tuned for more midwinter conference updates.
APPLICANTS SOUGHT FOR 3M/NMRT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT
Deadline: December 15, 2006
You still have until December 15th to apply for the 3M/NMRT
Professional Development Grant. Members of ALA's New Members Round Table (NMRT) can apply to receive a grant, sponsored by 3M Library Systems, which will cover expenses to attend the ALA Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington in June 2007.

Want to read about the ALA experiences of last year's winners? Take a look at the August 2006 issue of Footnotes. You will see how professionally rewarding attending an ALA conference can be.

The application form and further information about the grant is available on the NMRT website

Remember, you must be a current member of NMRT in order to apply. To join NMRT, visit the ALA website and follow the "Join/Renew ALA" link to add to your ALA membership.

For further information about the grant, please contact:

Jessica Hutchings, Chair, 3M/NMRT Professional Development Grant Committee
McNeese State University Library, 300 Beauregard, Lake Charles, LA,
70601
Phone: 337.475.5546
Fax: 337.475.5719
Email: jhutchings@mcneese.edu

Posted by Melissa Brumsted at 08:55 PM | Permalink

November 3, 2006

ALA 2007 scholarship online application now available

CHICAGO - The American Library Association (ALA) has more than $300,000 in scholarships available for students who are studying library science or school library media at the master's degree level. Scholarships range from $2,500 to $6,500 per student per year. The application and instructions are available online.

The application deadline for scholarships is March 1, 2007.

A wide range of scholarships are available, including scholarships for students who are interested in children's librarianship; school librarianship; youth librarianship; and library automation. In addition, there are scholarships available for minorities, persons with disabilities and for people who are already employed in libraries but do not have an MLS.

To be considered for one of these scholarships, applicants must attend an ALA-accredited master’s program in library and information science. Applicants interested in school library media must attend a program which meets ALA curriculum guidelines for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Complete guidelines and instructions are available on the website.

The scholarship process is open annually from October through March. For more information, visit www.ala.org/scholarships or call the ALA Scholarship Clearinghouse at 800-545-2433 x 4279.

Posted by Melissa Brumsted at 04:59 PM | Permalink