NEW 2009 DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS IN ARCHIVAL STUDIES

http://aeri.gseis.ucla.edu/Doctoral Fellowships in Archival Studies are currently available through a new eight-campus initiative for individuals who are interested in pursuing careers as educators and scholars and who would be entering doctoral programs in Fall 2009. Applicants must apply for both the Fellowship and admission to one or more of the eight participating doctoral programs: University of California, Los Angeles; University of Michigan; University of Maryland; University of Texas, Austin; Simmons College; University of Wisconsin, Madison; University of Pittsburgh; and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Each Fellowship will provide full tuition and annual stipends of $20,000 to Fellows for the first two years of their doctoral study at partnering academic programs. Those academic programs will provide full tuition and stipends to their Fellows for two additional years of study.To underscore the Fellowship initiatives‚ emphasis on strengthening archival education and scholarship, all Doctoral Fellows will attend, expenses-paid, annual Archival Education and Research Institutes (AERI). These weeklong summer institutes will be held each year for doctoral students and faculty in Archival Science from academic institutions nationally and around the world and will address a broad range of research methodologies, pedagogical techniques, and curriculum development. The first institute will be held at UCLA during the week of July 6th, 2009. A limited number of additional scholarships to attend the institutes will be available each year for doctoral students who are enrolled in any U.S. Program. Further information about the AERI is available at http://aeri.gseis.ucla.edu/.The Fellowship application deadline is January 9, 2009. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident in the U.S. Persons of minority racial and ethnic backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply. Further details on the Fellowship and how to apply may be found at http://aeri.gseis.ucla.edu/fellowships.htm. Information on each participating university’s specializations in Archival Science as well as contact information may be found at http://aeri.gseis.ucla.edu/institutions.htm. For questions about the Fellowship application process, please contact Joshua Sternfeld: joshuas@ucla.edu.This initiative is directed by the UCLA Center for Information as Evidence [www.gseis.ucla.edu/cie] and is made possible in part by support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services [www.imls.gov].

A Survey for African American Male Librarians

Dear Colleagues:

As noted at ALA-Anaheim*s program on Black (African American) male librarians, the significant dearth of representation in this group is critical.

In order to more accurately inform future LIS advertising, recruitment, marketing  and education efforts, I invite you, the African American male librarian with an ALA- accredited Master*s degree in Library and Information Science/Studies/Service to participate in an online survey that seeks

1. To find out the internal and external factors that influence African American male librarians choose librarianship as a career;
2. To understand their career path plans and the factors that influence their career planning efforts; and
3. To find out to what degree African American male librarians are satisfied in their jobs.

Take a step to impact and change the future of librarianship!  Please visit
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB2282GNA94M9 to learn more about or take
part in the study. Your participation and interest is very important and is sincerely appreciated!

* See
http://www.presentations.ala.org/index.php?title=Saturday%2C_
June_28#Saturday_8am_Start_Time

Please forward to colleagues who may be interested in this study...thank you!

Sincerely,
Kaetrena D. Davis, MSLS
Learning Commons Librarian
Principal Researcher

REFORMA National Conference III

The El Paso Chapter of REFORMA will be hosting the third REFORMA National Conference in El Paso, Texas from September 18 - 21st. The theme of this year's conference is "Bridging the Gaps - Juntos @ the Border". The theme is very appropriate given the location of the conference. The population along the El Paso/Cuidad Juarez border nears two million. The majority of who are Hispanic, Spanish speaking individuals coming from diverse backgrounds. Providing pertinent library service to this population offers many challenges. The conference promises to be an eye-opening dynamic affair, sure to provide a dialog on many issues facing REFORMA members in the years to come.

Along with the conference, El Paso offers many opportunities for social enrichment. El Paso has Missions, museums, galleries, a zoo, a casino and many other fun things to do. Our restaurants offer a cornucopia of multicultural experiences. The local arrangements committee has planned several events showcasing our lovely city and providing a wealth of entertainment including tours of local libraries, the Missions and Cuidad Juarez.

Information about the programs, keynote speakers, registration and more is available on the RNC III web site accessible through the REFORMA web site at www.reforma.org. The conference hotel will be the beautiful and historic Camino Real in downtown El Paso, half a block from the convention center. Room rates for the conference will be $105 single/double; $120 triple; and $135 quad. per day. Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-769-4300 or 915-534-3099, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 pm. MST. Please register as soon as possible and spread the word!

New Diversity Fellowship Opportunity

New Diversity Fellowship Opportunity

The State Library of Indiana has received a $1 million grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services for recruiting and educating 30 ethnically/racially diverse students for the Indiana Librarians Leading in Diversity project. The application process will go live next Monday, August 4, by noon. Potential candidates must apply to the Indiana University School of Library and Information Science (IU SLIS Application – Indianapolis / Bloomington) by September 15, 2008. The application process is open until 4:00 p.m. on Monday, October 3, 2008.

Ten candidates a year for three years are eligible to be selected for this Master of Library Science Degree Fellowship program. Applicants must have a primary self-identification as American Indian/Alaska Native; Asian; Black/African-American; Hispanic/Latino; or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander. In addition to applying to the library school, candidates will be required to complete a fellowship application which includes an essay and two letters of recommendation from non-relatives.

Successful candidates will be required to sign a fellowship agreement, attend an orientation week in Indianapolis in early December, and begin classes full time with the spring semester on January 12, 2009. Candidates also must commit to work two years in Indiana libraries upon graduation.

The fellowship award will cover tuition for up to 36 credit hours completed within 18 months. Stipends up to $15,500.00 will be available to cover room, board, and travel expenses.

This grant opportunity was given as part of the Laura Bush 21^st Century Librarian Program. Additionally, the project is supported by the Indiana State Library's Diversity Advisory Council, Academic Libraries of Indiana, Administrators of Large Public Libraries in Indiana, the Indiana Black Librarians Network, the Indiana Library Federation, and the Indiana Special Libraries Association. For more information, contact Marcia Smith-Woodard at mwoodard@library.in.gov, (317) 232-3719 or (800) 451-6028.

Survey For Librarians of Color

To All Librarians of Color:

Myself (Kawanna Bright) and two of my colleagues, Deborah Lilton with
Vanderbilt University and Pambanisha King with Auburn University, will
be presenting a session at the National Diversity in Libraries
Conference in October 2008, entitled “When Diversity is Too Much: New
Librarians of Color and Expectations for Involvement in Library
Diversity Initiatives”. The focus of this program will be to discuss
diversity initiatives utilized to recruit and retain librarians of color
into academic libraries and how they can sometimes have a negative
impact on the librarians they are designed to support. As part of this
session we will be presenting information from published research, but
the main focus of this session will be to present the results of a
survey of librarians of color and their opinions on how these programs
impacted them.

This is where you come in! If you are a librarian of color who works in
an academic library (or has ever worked in an academic library during
your career) we need you to complete our survey. This is your
opportunity to share your thoughts on the different diversity
initiatives that have been a part of your career, whether it was a
recruitment scholarship to help you earn your degree, a residency
program to launch you into the field, a leadership institute to prepare
you for upward movement, or programs that happened internally in the
libraries that you worked in, including diversity committees, diversity
training programs, or cultural enrichment programs. We would also be
interested in hearing about other experiences that affected you
specifically as a new librarian of color.

The goal of this survey is not to collect information to “bash” these
programs. The researchers agree that on the whole these programs are
positive for the librarians who participate in them as well as the
libraries that host them and the field itself. However, the possible
negative impacts of these programs need to be discussed as well in order
to help programs improve and to better prepare new librarians of color
for careers in academic librarianship.

This survey is completely anonymous – no identifying information will be
collected. We will not be collecting information on specific programs,
and are asking participants to respond with generalities (the survey
instrument reflects this request to not include identifying information).

The survey is available at:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=obT9ro6gb8sztIvaWtz4PQ_3d_3d and
takes between 15 and 25 minutes to complete, depending on the number of
experiences that you have had.

Your participation is greatly appreciated. Please also feel free to
share the survey with colleagues that you feel would be interested in
participating. All questions concerning the survey, the presentation or
the project as a whole can be directed to Kawanna Bright,
kmbright@ncsu.edu, Pambanisha King,
kingpam@auburn.edu, or Deborah Lilton,
dlilton@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Kawanna Bright, Pambanisha King, and Deborah Lilton

Diversity Events at ALA

For those heading off to sunny Anaheim, here are some diversity events that you may want to be sure to check out!

• Many Voices, Many Nations Anaheim (Friday 6/27, 5:30 - 9:00 pm; Mariott Anaheim - Marquis Northeast): Registration requested but not required: http://ala.org/annual; $10
• Leaders Wanted: Is an LIS Doctoral Program Right for You? (Saturday 6/28, 9:00 - 11:00 am followed by Options Fair until 5pm; Hyatt Regency Orange County - Grand B and Grand E/F)
• Diversity Currents! Weighing the Balance: Affirmative Action Update (Saturday 6/28, 1:30 - 3:30 pm; Hyatt Regency Orange County, Harbor Room)
• Diversity 101 (Saturday 6/28, 4:00 - 5:30 pm; Hyatt Regency Orange County - Harbor Room)
• Beyond White Privilege 101: Continuing the Discussion (Sunday 6/29, 1:30 - 3:30 pm; Hyatt Regency Orange County - Grand B/C)
• Charting Courses: Diversity Research Grants (Sunday 6/29, 4:00 - 5:30 pm; Disney's Grand Californian - Wisteria Room)

ULS Public Services Librarian Diversity Resident Program, 2008-2010

ULS Public Services Librarian Diversity Resident Program
2008-2010

Overview:

The ULS Public Services Librarian Diversity Resident Program offers post-graduate candidates from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups an opportunity for gaining valuable, “hands-on” experience in a public services position within a large academic research library system. The goal of this two-year program is to increase the number of underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities within academic librarianship by providing the practical experience critical for successful entrance into the profession. Anticipated start date is July 2008.

Qualifications:

To qualify, applicant must be a recent graduate from an ALA-accredited master’s program, possess a strong interest in developing a career in academic librarianship, demonstrate strong written and oral communication skills, demonstrate the ability to work independently as well as in a team, be a member of an underrepresented group (African American, Asian American, Latino/Hispanic American, or Native American), and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Salary and Benefits:

$30,000/year. Comprehensive benefits package including health insurance; TIAA/CREF, Vanguard; and tuition assistance. Financial support is also provided for one professional conference attendance per year.

To Apply:

Interested applicants are asked to submit a resume, the names/numbers of three professional references, and a 1-2 page letter describing their interest and aspirations in academic librarianship, with particular emphasis on public services. Application materials should be addressed to: William Gentz, Head, Library Human Resources, 271 Hillman Library, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260.

Application deadline: Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until position is filled.

For full information on the program and the environment, visit: http://www.library.pitt.edu/uls/employment/diversityresident.html

The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution