A silent auction held at the ASCLA/COSLA reception at ALA’s Midwinter Meeting raised $1,145 to benefit the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) Century Scholarship.
Reception attendees enjoyed delicious desserts, while bidding on a variety of items generously donated by vendors, including Playaway, OCLC, BCR, the Colorado Library Consortium and the Colorado Association of Libraries, and Chicago cultural institutions such as The Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and Steppenwolf Theater Company. Proceeds from the auction directly benefit the scholarship fund and promote its long-term financial viability.
“I am thankful for the generosity of our sponsors, and also for the generosity of our reception attendees who have made an important investment in the future of our profession,” said Carol Desch, ASCLA president. “Their contributions ensure ASCLA and ALA will continue to provide opportunities for students with access needs to enter the library profession.”
The scholarship is an initiative of the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), the Library Service to Special Populations Section (LSSPS) of ASCLA and the Library Service to People with Visual or Physical Disabilities Forum, and was established in 2000 through the generosity of an anonymous donor. It fulfills ALA’s mission to cultivate a field of library professionals that more accurately reflects the diversity of the communities and populations it serves.
Library and information science students with access needs—including veterans—are encouraged to apply for the scholarship, a one-time $2,500 award funding necessary services or accommodations to enable the winner to complete a Master’s or Doctoral program in the field. Complete information about scholarship eligibility and application instructions are available at the scholarship webpage on the ASCLA site.