ARSL Conference Scholarships
The Association for Rural and Small Libraries currently offers two annual conference scholarships to promote the organization & the conference.
- The first scholarship goes to a current LIS/MLS student. It includes conference registration, hotel, and $500 stipend.
- The second scholarship goes to a current library professional or para-professional. It also includes conference registration, hotel, and a $500 stipend. The definition of a “Library Professional” is a library staff member currently working in a small and/or rural library. A degree or certification is not required.
Candidates do not need to be members of ARSL; however membership is encouraged.
The committee asks candidates for either scholarship to provide a briefly worded essay -”Why I Want To Go!” and a completed application form.
The winners should have not attended the ARSL conference before and will be required to write a short blog entry on the ARSL website to share their conference experience.
These scholarships are in honor of Dr. Bernard Vavrek (the student scholarship) and founding board members for the Founders Scholarship (library staff).
The Conference Scholarship Committee selects winners based on a demonstration of need, demonstration of not only a desire to serve the small and rural community but an already established pattern of working within the community, willingness to network, share and aid in developing new networks to aid small and/or rural libraries and a willingness to share what they learn at the conference with those in their networking areas.
For more information about conference scholarship and the form to fill out to apply for this year’s conference in Denver, please see the following files:
Conference Scholarship Application for 2010 (Word) »
Conference Scholarship Information for 2010 (PDF) »
ARSL Conference Scholarship Winners for 2009
Bernard Vavrek Scholarship Winner
Jennifer Stephenson
Student: University of Southern Mississippi (MLIS)
Director: Carroll County Public Library System
Carrollton MS 38917
jenstephenson at carroll.lib.ms.us
Founder’s Scholarship Winner
Paula DeMars
Director: Hill City Community Library
Main St, Hill City, SD 57745
hillcitylibrary at hillsitysd.org
