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Institutional Scholarships for Public Libraries

The Grow Your Own @ Your Library Institutional Scholarships are now awarded biennially if funding is available, and the award jury is appointed every other year, as needed. No scholarships have been offered in 2010–2012. Please check back in the summer of 2013 to see when the scholarships will next be offered.

Program Background

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Awarded 2005–2010, this program addressed the education needs of public library staff working toward the ultimate goal of obtaining a master’s degree in library and information science. This program was intended to assist public library staff members who are working toward securing a library degree, by awarding funds to the employing public library for reimbursement of employee(s) course tuition costs, at the undergraduate or graduate level. PLA recognized that the institution was strategically positioned to best identify those employees with a commitment to librarianship, public libraries and the institution/community.

The Public Library Association provided up to nine public libraries with a lump sum of $8,000 each to be distributed to as many of their employees as they choose for the purpose of working toward obtaining an MLS degree—$6,500 was to be used directly for payment of tuition at the undergraduate level or at an 91´«Ã½-accredited library school graduate level and $1,500 was to be used to support attendance for one or more of the selected scholarship recipients to attend a PLA-sponsored continuing education conference or event such as the PLA Conference or PLA Spring Symposium. One library from each of the nine PLDS size categories was selected.

The primary goal of this program was to increase the number of public librarians. The program accomplished this by providing funds to institutions to enable them to “grow their own” librarians from among select employees within their staffs. A corollary of the program was the development of successful models for growing your own that could be shared with and implemented by the public library community.

Institution Eligibility Criteria

The applying institution had to be a public library located in the United States and duly established and recognized under state law. The application must be completed by a member of the institution staff, typically the library director or designated staff. Applications may not be submitted by board members, trustees or other library volunteers. When awards are made, the selected libraries will be required to sign a letter of agreement outlining responsibilities and deadlines. That document is to be signed by the legally authorized library staff representative and the library board president.

The applying institution (or its governing body) must be able to accept and administer the scholarship on behalf of the employee(s) as outlined in the Administration of Funds and Reporting Requirements portions of this document. At least one of the employees receiving scholarship funds must be able to attend a PLA continuing education event as specified by the applying institution.

Awards will NOT be made to those libraries that have received PLA funding in the previous years for the institutional scholarship. Previous award winners are not eligible.

At the conclusion of the scholarship period, the applying institution must be prepared to provide information/share “lessons learned” with the public library community via PLA programming or publications.

Selection Criteria

Scholarships will be made on a competitive basis. Applications will undergo a review process by a committee appointed by the PLA president. To insure fairness, phone calls or emails regarding this program will NOT be accepted. Selected applicants will be informed via phone and/or email. All others should check the PLA web page at in early February for announcement of the scholarships’ status. There will be no notification to those applications not selected. Applications will be reviewed and funds awarded based on the following criteria.

The applying public library will demonstrate the following:

• Meets institution eligibility criteria outlined above.
• Has an institutional commitment to “growing its own” by supporting employees who are working toward an ultimate goal of obtaining the master’s degree in library science, with a detailed plan on how the goal will be achieved (to be described in the “Grow Your Own Plan” submitted with the application.)
• Ability and resources to support and mentor employee(s) who receive funding from the award (to be described in “Grow Your Own Plan” submitted with the application)
• Ability and resources to administer funds as outlined in “Administration of Funds” of this document.
• Ability and resources to complete administrative/evaluation reports by the established timeline. Reporting forms and information will be supplied to selected libraries at notification and acceptance of the award.
• Ability and resources to share “lessons learned” from this project with the public library community via PLA programs and/or publications.

Time Period

Bachelor or master level courses taken between the February the library receives Notification and accepts the scholarship and the March two (2) years from the Notification are eligible for tuition reimbursement under this program.

The Scholarships are awarded biennially if funding is available. The online application will be open in September through December 3rd.

Time Table for Libraries Who Receive These Scholarships

Administration of Funds

Institutions that receive funds under this program are responsible for administering the tuition reimbursement and PLA continuing education funding to employees under whatever distribution system works best for them, so long as it adheres to the following conditions:

1. The employee(s) completed the courses(s) within the authorized Time Period.
2. The employees(s) provided the institution with original print verification of the course/tuition paid and the employee(s) received a minimum course grade (based upon and A-F grading scale), of “B” of if application, a “credit” for a credit/no-credit course. “Incompletes” do not qualify for reimbursement.
3. The employee(s) designated have participated in PLA continuing education programming at total cost of $1,500 to the institution. Continuing education funds may be split among one or as many of the designated employees as the institution wishes.
4. Proof of the above (Items 1–3) must be supplied to PLA no later than April 15, 2 years after Notification. Documentation must include: receipt for tuition fees paid and printed student transcript including grade received, list of employees who participated in PLA CE programs/events. Institutions that fail to provide documentation for all tuition expended and satisfactory completion of coursework ($6,500 total) by the deadline are required to reimburse PLA for unspent/undocumented funds. The Letter of Agreement must be signed by the authorizing individual at the library to this effect.

Reporting Requirements

Institutions that receive scholarships will be required to submit regular reports as indicated in the Time Table.

• Report Form (Word document, 52 Kb)

Additionally, institutions that receive scholarships will be required to complete a project evaluation at the conclusion of the program. The evaluation form will be provided by PLA.

NOTE: Failure to follow these instructions or submission of an incomplete application will result in automatic disqualification of your application. No exceptions to this rule will be allowed.

Please submit each report by the deadline above to:

PLA

Grow Your Own @ Your Library Scholarships

50 E. Huron St.

Chicago, IL 60611

Email: pla@ala.org (subject line: Grow Your Own Report)

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