In order to participate in the ARL/MLA DII, the applicant must:

• Demonstrate genuine interest in a career in academic music or performing arts librarianship
• Be accepted into either:
  • an MLIS program with a concentration or certificate in music librarianship or
  • any MLIS program but with the additional requirement of completing a course in music librarianship
• Be a racial/ethnic minority as defined by the US Labor Department's Executive Order 11246:
  • American Indian or Alaskan Native
  • Asian or Pacific Islander
  • Black or African American
  • Hispanic or Latino
• Have an academic background (minimum a baccalaureate degree) in a music-related subject discipline.

Once accepted into the program, participants must:

• Relocate to the geographic area of the host music/performing arts library
• Maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average and display satisfactory progress toward completion of the MLIS or equivalent degree
• Remain enrolled in at least 6 graduate credit hours per term through completion of the MLIS or equivalent degree
• Actively participate in the mentorship component of the program
• Attend the MLA Annual Meeting and actively engage in programmatic activities

Participants will be selected by a competitive application process. Continued participation in the program is contingent upon demonstrated academic success and progress towards completion of the MLIS or equivalent degree. Acceptance into the program enters the recipient into a working relationship with the Association of Research Libraries, the Music Library Association, and the respective partner library. At the MLA Annual Meeting, program participants will have the opportunity to meet and network with established leaders in the music library community as well as with other student members of the association.