The Nebraska Library Commission announces the ninth cycle of its
21st Century Librarian Scholarship program (
https://nlc.nebraska.gov/NowHiring/Scholarships.aspx). Legal residents of the state of Nebraska are eligible to apply. In this ninth cycle, online applications are due November 1, 2013; transcripts (as required) are due October 22, 2013; and letters of recommendation, if mailed, are due October 22, 2013. Scholarships of
up to $3,500 will be awarded, depending on the degree or certificate the applicant is pursuing and the applicant’s course plan.
A former scholarship student recently said,
I really appreciate all this scholarship helped me to attain. I believe that because of this scholarship, I was able to attain knowledge that will help me throughout my library career.
Scholarships may be used for tuition (for coursework contributing toward a certificate or degree, including general education classes), course-required materials, and school-assessed fees at the following levels:
- Library and Information Science (LIS) Professional Certificate
- Associate of Arts or Science Degree in Library and Information Science (LIS)
- Bachelor of Arts or Science Degree/Endorsement with a major in Library and Information Science or Library Media
Scholarship recipients will be eligible to apply for
stipends for such things as laptop or tablet computers, professional association dues, and regional or national conference attendance.
Through the associated stipends program, students have purchased
laptop computers to use with their online classes, joined
professional library associations, and attended
regional and national conferences. For example, several scholarship students were awarded stipends to attend the ALA annual conference this past summer in Chicago.
Current scholarship recipients are participating and reporting on trainings such as hands-on eBook/eReader trainings, and live and recorded webinars about the latest Internet tools.
According to one scholarship student,
The e-reader classes allowed me to better understand the different e-readers available and how they worked. I also listened in on a couple of live webinars about customer relations and work related topics. It helped to better do my job.
Participants are networking with Nebraska librarians on the
Nebraska Librarians Learning Together Facebook page,
http://www.facebook.com/NebraskaLibrarians.
The scholarships, stipends, and value-added training are offered through the Nebraska Library Commission’s
Cultivating Rural Librarians’ 21st Century Skills program, which is funded through a grant from the
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program. For more information, contact Kathryn Brockmeier, Grant Program Manager, by
e-mail or by phone, 402-471-4002 or 800-307-2665.
NOTE: Due to the significant number of applications for the Nebraska Library Commission master’s-level scholarships (funded through the Librarians for the 21st Century Program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services), as of July 1, 2012, graduate-level scholarships will no longer be available. Scholarships DO continue to be available for undergraduate Library Science studies, including LIS certificates, and Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit
www.imls.gov.
