Frederic G. Melcher Scholarship,Association for Library Service to Children,USA

Job Description: The Frederic G. Melcher Scholarship provides financial assistance for the professional education of men and women who intend to pursue an MLS degree and who plan to work in children’s librarianship. This work may be serving children up to and including the age of 14 in any type of library. Two $6,000 scholarships are awarded annually. The scholarship is made possible by ALSC through generous contributions from librarians, professional associates, friends, and others in the book world, as tribute to Frederic G. Melcher, a great leader in promoting better books for children.

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Applicants must be citizens of the U.S. or Canada.

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Each scholarship will be granted to four/two candidates whose educational and personal qualifications indicate fitness for professional preparation at the graduate level in the field of library work with children.

* Factors considered are academic excellence, leadership qualities and a desire to work with children in any type of library.

* A Personal Statement describing career interests and goals, and a commitment to library service to children must be included with the application.

* Three references must be completed online and received by March 1, 2011. These should be given to professional sources (excluding family) that are well acquainted with the applicants’ educational background, intellectual abilities, professional experience and personal character. An application will not be considered complete unless three references are completed online and received by March 1, 2011.

* The applicants must be accepted coursework at a library school accredited by the American Library Association (which may include Canadian schools) that offers a full range of courses in children’s materials and library services to children. A letter from the school indicating the applicant is under consideration will be acceptable to begin the application process; however, a letter of acceptance from an ALA-accredited library school must be received by June 1, 2011.

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* The applicant may not have earned more than 12 semester hours toward an MLS/MLIS prior to June 1 of the year awarded.

* The recipients will be expected to accept positions after graduation in the field of library service to children for at least one year. These positions shall be in the United States or Canada, or in a library provided for dependents of military personnel of the United States or Canada. Within a year of graduation, each recipient is expected to submit to the Association for Library Service to Children a letter from an institution’s director or personnel department verifying appointment as a children’s librarian. If the recipient does not complete this requirement, for any reason within the recipient’s control, the scholarship money must be refunded. Failure to fulfill requirements will result in forfeiture, or repayment of scholarship monies.

* The recipients are expected to become members of the American Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children.

* For the Melcher scholarship, money will be paid in two equal amounts at the beginning of the first two semesters or quarters in which the recipient is enrolled. For the Bound to Stay Bound scholarship, money will be paid directly to the school.

* The names of the 2011-2012 recipients will be announced at the American Library Association Annual Conference, summer 2011, and disseminated through press releases and web posting.

For further Scholarship Information