Practical Concerns - Financial Matters

[ Prev | Contents | Next ]

Financial Assistance

General information * Federal aid * Scholarships * NJLA * NJASL * Middletown Public Library * Beta Phi Mu * REFORMA * Become a Librarian * Web Junction (E-Learning Clearinghouse) * Patricia Reeling Emergency Loan Fund

General information

The SCILS catalog provides basic information about Rutgers scholarships and loans. There is a brochure on Graduate Financial Aid at Rutgers, usually available in the office in Room 214. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid and Renewal application forms (FAFSA)can be downloaded from http://studentaid.rutgers.edu. To be eligible for work-study jobs, you must fill out this form. For information about jobs, see the section on "Developing Your Career." For information on salaries in NJ libraries, see NJLA guidelines at http://www.njla.org/resources/personnel.html

Federal Aid

Students may also receive federal aid. Refer to the Federal Student Aid Web site for more information.

Sallie Mae offers loans for graduate degrees and continuing education under the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP):
http://www.salliemae.com/apply/borrowing/career_training.html

Scholarships

You might be able to receive one of the nationally available scholarships described on the American Library association (ALA) Web site for a future semester if you start planning early. Go to http://www.ala.org and click on Awards and Scholarships, then Scholarships; be sure to look at "Financial Assistance for Library and Information Studies," the most complete directory of scholarships from all sorts of sources. Notable among recently instituted ALA funds are the Spectrum and Century scholarships for recruiting students from minority and disability communities. Part time students are eligible for awards in a number of cases, and full time students may be able to extend their studies for an additional semester. Application deadlines vary considerably, and therefore it is wise to explore the possibilities now.

A couple of scholarships that may not have made it into the ALA compilation have been recently announced:
New ALA scholarship in new media The Peter Lyman Memorial/SAGE Scholarship in New Media will be offered with the support of SAGE Publications. The scholarship was created in memory of Peter Lyman, former university librarian and professor emeritus of the School of Information at the University of California, Berkeley. The scholarship will support a student in an ALA-accredited master’s program in Library and Information Studies pursuing a specialty in new media. The recipient will receive a $2,500 scholarship as well as a travel stipend to attend the ALA Midwinter Meeting
The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) is soliciting applications for the A. R. Zipf Fellowship in Information Management for 2009. The fellowship is awarded annually to a student currently enrolled in the early stages of graduate school who shows exceptional promise for leadership and technical achievement in information management. The amount of the award is $10,000, and applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States. For applications and additional information, please go to www.clir.org/fellowships/zipf/zipf.html.

For fall Rutgers scholarship awards, the application cutoff date is February 1. Students who need assistance for the spring semester should apply by September 15. Generally, financial aid is not available for summer school. Recently a generous alumnus has endowed a scholarship fund earmarked for graduate study in librarianship, so do not hesitate to apply for aid should the need arise, even if you have missed a deadline. Consult the MLIS Program Director (Dr. Cassell) and chair of Admissions and Scholarships. Students who have filed the federal FAFSA form will are more likely to receive assistance.

For announcements about scholarships and related matters, watch the third floor LIS bulletin board, the LISSA listserv, and the document distribution racks in and outside Room 214. New announcements ones appear with some regularity! A few representative non-ALA scholarships are described below.

New Jersey Library Association (NJLA) Scholarships

Several scholarships are offered for study leading to a graduate or post graduate degree in librarianship; see http://www.njla.org/honorsawards/scholarship/scholarshipawards.html Awards are based on an evaluation of credentials and personal interviews with candidates.

Requirements: Applicants must be legal residents of New Jersey at the time of application; scholarships are to be used only for tuition during the academic year for which they are awarded; applicants must demonstrate financial need; applicants must demonstrate academic ability through submission of transcripts; applicants agree to be available for an interview. Applications are due mid-February.

New Jersey Association of School Librarians (NJASL)

Three $750 Al Saley Memorial Scholarships are awarded to experienced educational media specialists or to pre-professionals for graduate study in the field of educational media; see njasl.org/

Requirements: Applicants may be currently employed in a school library/media center, or may be teachers or recent college graduates who wish to enter the educational media field. Applicants must document previous education, pertinent publications and/productions and volunteer work. They must submit a statement of achievements and goals, and recommendations from two professional educators. The scholarships must be used within one year. Application deadline is usually the end of March.

Middletown Township Public Library

The Board of trustees awards the Conover-Wihtol Scholarship for no less than $500. First consideration is given to residents of Middletown Township, but if there are no local qualified applicants, other New Jersey residents will be considered.

Requirements: Applicants must have a bachelor's degree or be in the final semester of undergraduate studies and be admitted to an ALA-accredited LIS graduate program. Application forms available from the library give further information. Deadline -- June 30.

Contact: Middletown Township Public Library, 55 New Monmouth Road, Middletown, NJ 07748.

 

REFORMA

The National Association to Promote Library Services to the Spanish Speaking awards one or more $1000 scholarships annually to support recruitment of bilingual, bicultural librarians.

Requirements: Applicants should be citizens or permanent residents who are Spanish-speakers; should show evidence of commitment to a career in librarianship and potential for academic achievement; submit REFORMA application form, resume, transcripts, and two recommendations. Deadline - May 15. See http://www.reforma.org

Become a Librarian Website

Compiled by the Central Jersey Regional Library Cooperative, this site has extensive list of scholarships available from other groups and organizations, many specific to New Jersey: http://www.becomealibrarian.org/scholarships.htm

The Patricia Reeling Emergency Student Loan Fund

Not to be confused with a scholarship fund, this loan fund is intended to tide students over an unexpected shortfall. Emergencies might arise as a result of an accident, illness, death in the family, etc. Loans are generally modest and must be repaid within a semester. LISSA established the guidelines for the fund, and it is administered by Prof. Varlejs.



[ Prev | Home | Contents | Next ]