91´«Ã½

BRYN MAWR, Pennsylvania — United for Libraries is accepting applications for the United for Libraries/SAGE Academic Friend Conference Grant through Jan. 9, 2017.

The United for Libraries/SAGE Academic Friend Conference Grant enables a Friend of a college/university library to attend the 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference. Applicants must be active in their college or university Friends of the Library group, or be college/university library staff members who work in development. A grant of $850, plus full Annual Conference registration, will be awarded to the recipient.

For more information and to apply, visit .

The 2016 winners of the United for Libraries/SAGE Academic Friend Conference Grants were April Anaya and Michelle Brasseur.

Anaya is director of development at the New Mexico State University Library (Las Cruces, N.M), where she is involved in major gift fundraising, annual fund campaigns, target project fundraising, special events, and more recently, communications and marketing.

“My 91´«Ã½ conference experience was truly life changing,” said Anaya. “The information shared was outstanding. I am grateful to United for Libraries and SAGE Publishing for giving me an opportunity to expand my knowledge and understanding so that I can grow, better serve my library and be an ambassador for the important work we do.

Brasseur is Marketing Communication Specialist for Wright State University Libraries (Dayton, Ohio), University Libraries, where she is also the Friends of the Libraries board liaison. She earned a master’s degree in library and information science from Kent State University.

“My favorite part of the 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference, and the United for Libraries sessions and events in particular, was the people,” said Brasseur. “Attending this conference reminded me that I’m not alone, that others are fighting the good fight. With a little help from our Friends, we can do more for the organizations, the spaces, services, resources, and the profession we love.”

Sara Miller McCune founded SAGE Publishing in 1965 to support the dissemination of usable knowledge and educate a global community. SAGE is a leading international provider of innovative, high-quality content publishing more than 900 journals and over 800 new books each year, spanning a wide range of subject areas. Our growing selection of library products includes archives, data, case studies and video. SAGE remains majority owned by our founder and after her lifetime will become owned by a charitable trust that secures the company’s continued independence. Principal offices are located in Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington, D.C. and Melbourne.

United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the 91´«Ã½ that supports those who govern, promote, advocate and fundraise for libraries. United for Libraries brings together library Trustees, advocates, Friends, and Foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information or to join United for Libraries, visit the or contact Jillian Wentworth at (312) 280-2161 or jwentworth@ala.org.