New WLAF Conference Scholarship Program

Are you a member of WLA? If so, read on for an exciting new scholarship opportunity!

New Conference Scholarship Program Now Available

Deadline to Apply: August 21

Dear WLA Members, The Wisconsin Library Association Foundation (WLAF) is excited to announce a new and expanded Conference Scholarship Program designed to help more members access valuable professional development opportunities. This year, we are launching a new scholarship application process for the 2026 WLA Annual Conference. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and supporters, five scholarships of up to $500 each will be awarded to WLA members to help cover conference registration. The goal of the scholarship program is to reduce financial barriers to participation, encourage first-time attendees and those with limited employer support, and strengthen the diversity and vitality of Wisconsin's library community. Who Can Apply? Applications are open to all current WLA members. Applicants will be asked to submit a brief application describing: Why they would like to attend the conference How attending will benefit their professional growth Any financial barriers they face Preference will be given to staff from small, rural, or special libraries,  first-time attendees, individuals with financial need, students, early-career library workers, new graduates, and others who may have limited access to professional development opportunities. Scholarships will be awarded as conference registration vouchers and may be used toward conference registration fees. They do not cover travel, lodging, preconference workshops, membership dues, or ticketed special events. This year's scholarships are available only for the WLA Annual Conference on October 20-23 at the Marriott Madison West. Beginning in 2027, we plan to expand the program so members may apply for scholarships to attend other WLA conferences and institutes, including WAPL, WAAL, AWSL, and other eligible WLA events. The number and amount of scholarships awarded each year will depend on the success of the Foundation's fundraising efforts. We're pleased to offer five $500 scholarships this year and look forward to growing this program as support allows. Timeline: Applications open: July 23 Applications close: August 21 Scholarship Committee review: August 24–September 4 Applicants notified: the week of September 7 If attending the WLA Annual Conference has been out of reach financially, we encourage you to apply. We hope this program makes it easier for more members to connect, learn, and engage with colleagues from across Wisconsin. How to Apply:  Follow the link to apply: https://forms.gle/uLrnjW7nxBB8d8PN8 We encourage interested members to apply by August 21 using the link above.  We look forward to seeing many new faces at this year's conference! Best, Kara Sullivan Executive Director Wisconsin Library Association

WLA Scholarship Applications Open April 15

CONTINUING EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS & GRANTS 

(Must be a WLA Member)

WLAF George Bauer Memorial Fund Continuing Education Scholarship
Must be a WLA member in good standing employed in a library in Wisconsin. Scholarship amount determined annually. The application will be available April 15, 2025, and the application deadline is June 15, 2025.

WLAF Gloria Hoegh Memorial Fund Education for Rural Librarians Scholarship
Must be a library employee working in a Wisconsin community with a current population of 5,000 or less or who works with library employees in those communities. Must be a WLA member in good standing. Scholarship amount determined annually. The application will be available April 15, 2025, and the application deadline is June 15, 2025.

WLA FOUNDATION LIBRARY EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS

Library Education Scholarship
Must be a current or permanent Wisconsin resident admitted to a master's degree program in library and information science at a Wisconsin school during the coming academic year beginning with the fall term as a part-time or full-time student. Scholarship amount determined annually. The application will be available April 15, 2025, and the application deadline is June 15, 2025.

Sally Davis Scholarship
Must be a current or permanent Wisconsin resident admitted to the master’s degree program in the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for the coming academic year beginning with the fall term as a part-time or full-time student. Scholarship amount determined annually. The application will be available April 15, 2025, and the application deadline is June 15, 2025.

Vida Cummins Stanton Scholarship
Must be a current or permanent Wisconsin resident admitted to the Master's degree program in the School of Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee during the coming academic year beginning with the fall term as a part-time or full-time student, pursuing a career in school library media or youth services program. The application will be available April 15, 2025, and the application deadline is June 15, 2025.

Diversity Scholarship
WLAF awards a scholarship to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students who has been admitted to a master's degree program in library and information science at a Wisconsin school for the coming academic year. The application will be available April 15, 2025, and the application deadline is June 15, 2025.

WLA Foundation scholarships are funded through generous charitable contributions.

WLA Foundation Scholarships Available

 From the WRLS Stay in the Know Weekly Newsletter  5/28/24:

WLA Foundation Scholarships Available

 

2024 WLA Foundation Scholarship Applications Now Open! Deadline is June 15, 2024

The Wisconsin Library Association Foundation is now accepting applications for a variety of scholarships and grants that support library science students and fund continuing education opportunities for WLA members.  Applications are due June 15, 2024.    CONTINUING EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS & GRANTS (Must be a WLA member) WLAF George Bauer Memorial Fund Continuing Education Scholarship WLAF Gloria Hoegh Memorial Fund Education for Rural Librarians Scholarship WLA FOUNDATION LIBRARY EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS Library Education Scholarship Sally Davis Scholarship Vida Cummins Stanton Scholarship Diversity Scholarship Thank you to the generous donors to the WLA Foundation who make this support possible!  To learn more about the WLA Foundation or to make a gift, click here.    Please contact wla@wisconsinlibraries.org with questions.

LEARN MORE & APPLY

Apply for a PLA 2024 scholarship

 As seen in Nic News Weekly, Friday 11/3/23 Nicolet Federated Library System newsletter

As part of its commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice, the Public Library Association (PLA) is pleased to offer 50 scholarships to attend the PLA 2024 Conference on April 3-5, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. Scholarships will cover registration fees, travel stipends, and one year of PLA membership.

Scholarships are available to support applicants who belong to at least one of the following categories:

• Early career (i.e., fewer than five years) or un/under-employed (annual salary less than $45,000)
• Students pursuing a master’s degree in library and/or information science (i.e., MLS, MLIS, MIS)
• Working in small or rural libraries (i.e., serving communities with fewer than 25,000 people)
• Current or past Spectrum Scholars working in public libraries
• ALA ethnic affiliate members (i.e., members of the Joint Council of Librarians of Color)

Applications are due November 12 by 11:59 p.m. Learn more about the scholarships and apply for them here.

College Scholarships Resource

Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay

As you work with your teens and their families who are looking at college, you might want to connect them to this rich resource from the Chamber of Commerce. Their Best College Scholarships webpage provides information on the differences between scholarships and grants; types of scholarships and links to scholarships.

Check out their resource here.

ALSC Scholarship for BIPOC Students and Paraprofessionals

 

To align with ALSC’s strategic objective of increasing the intentional recruitment and retention of a diverse membership while reducing barriers to participation, ALSC is funding the memberships of 10 BIPOC library students and 10 paraprofessionals/library support staff (current position or position held within the last year) who want to become more involved with our organization and within the children’s services profession.

Recipients will receive one year ALA/ALSC membership along with opportunities for meaningful engagement including regular virtual meetings with other recipients, activities and discussions, mentorship, shadowing committees, and more. Applicants should identify as BIPOC and be a library student, a paraprofessional and/or library support staff member, currently or recently unemployed.

To apply, please submit this application by April 12, 2021. The EDI Taskforce and ALSC Membership Committee will be reviewing applications. Applicants will be notified by June 1, 2021.

Here's the URL for the application in case that link is not clickable: https://airtable.com/shrRZR2UN4aAV7iFx

Thanks to the ever fabulous Tessa for sharing this--and oodles of other things--and keeping us in the know! :)

Scholarships for Free Registration to Power Up!

Scholarship applications are due soon for the biennial Power Up Leadership Conference for Youth Managers and Staff (yes that means all youth staffers!) March 28-29 in Madison WI at the Pyle Center. Sponsored by the UW-Madison iSchool Continuing Education Department, this conference is chock full of amazing sessions that support your leadership and advocacy skills no matter where in a library organization you are. This day and a half conference is filled with presentations from leaders in youth services, bookended with addresses by Andrew Medlar, Director of BookOps for New York Public Library and by Dr. Sarah Park Dahlen, Associate Professor, MLIS program, St. Catherine University.

Full schedule, registration, scholarship info, and other details available here. Want to know more? Please read what some WI attendees at the first conference said about the power of Power Up here.

Ten scholarships are available, which will fully cover the conference registration fee ($300) for each winner! Scholarship applications are due by January 11. Click here to read about the scholarships and access application form.

ALSC Equity Fellowships - Apply Now

September 14 is the deadline to apply for an opportunity to be awarded one of five ALSC Equity Fellowships.

I can't explain it any better than one of the members of ALSC's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force. This TF has worked thoughtfully, fast and hard to create this opportunity for ALSC members of color. 

Click here to read the scoop!

Free Scholarships to WI Youth Librarians

UW-Madison SLIS is sponsoring an amazing national conference for youth library managers and staff in March 2017 called Power Up: A Conference in Leadership for Youth Services Managers and Staff. The conference features over 20 speakers both from our state and throughout the country that address many issues related to both leadership and management for staff at all levels of their career.

Registration has just opened and so has a great opportunity for WI based youth staff. There are 10 complimentary registrations being offered only to WI librarians and staff currently working in WI. Meredith Lowe of UW-Madison SLIS CE shares the scoop:

"I’m very excited to tell you that we are offering 10 conference scholarship awards this year! The winners will receive a complimentary registration to the Power Up conference. This is open only to librarians and staff currently working in Wisconsin libraries (public or school). Applications are welcome from librarians and staff at all levels and with any type of educational background. They just have to be working in Wisconsin.

Here’s the info: https://slis.wisc.edu/continuing-education/power-up/scholarships/

Applications are due on December 30."

This is indeed an extraordinary opportunity for 10 lucky WI youth staff! Will you be one?

WLA Awards and Scholarships

Be sure to check out the WLA Awards and Scholarships page for awards and scholarships that are given out each year!

Of special interest to Children & Young Adult Librarians is the WLA/Highsmith Award. Libraries of any size or type are eligible for the award, which "recognizes a library's achievement in planning and implementing an exemplary program or service that has had a measurable impact upon its users. The purpose is to encourage innovation by highlighting collective efforts within a library, wherein staff, administration and volunteers have successfully marshaled the library's resources to benefit its users." The award winner receives $1000. The application deadline is June 1. For more information visit http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/awards/awardprocedures.htm.