For immediate release:
July 2, 2008
For more information, contact:
Jerome Offord Jr.
Association of Research Libraries
jerome@arl.org
202-296-2296
ARL Diversity Scholars Offered Special Opportunity by OCLC Minority Librarian Fellowship Program
Applications Accepted July 15–August 29, 2008
Washington DC—OCLC has announced a new Minority Librarian Fellowship program designed to provide a unique opportunity for aspiring library professionals from historically underrepresented groups, with special consideration being given to Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Diversity Scholars who apply to the program this year.
The yearlong, paid fellowship offers the selected fellow two three-month assignments within specific divisions of OCLC and one six-month assignment with a specific operating unit within the OCLC organization.
In this inaugural year of the program, in honor of recently retired ARL Executive Director Duane Webster, OCLC is opening applications first to current and former ARL Diversity Scholars from the Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce. Former Diversity Scholars must have less than three years of post-graduate work experience to apply for the fellowship.
The OCLC Minority Librarian Fellowship program will offer:
Three months working with OCLC Member Services, which includes orientation to the OCLC member community, assistance with governing projects, and participation in the Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Career Development Fellowship Program, a 30-day program that provides early career development and continuing education for library and information science professionals from countries with developing economies.
Three months in OCLC Research assigned to a research scientist.
Six months in an operating unit working with an assigned mentor from that unit. The 2008/2009 fellow will work in OCLC Digital Collection Services, exploring opportunities to digitize historically important collections.
OCLC will begin accepting applications for the fellowship July 15, 2008. The deadline for applications is August 29, 2008.
Applicants must have earned an accredited MLS/MLIS or other graduate degree (granted by January 2009) in technology with a special emphasis in libraries or other cultural heritage institutions. Applicants also must have: demonstrated awareness and sensitivity in issues of inclusion/diversity, strong organizational skills that include the ability to organize work-plans and processes toward a targeted outcome, and exceptional communication skills. The selected individual must represent historically underrepresented groups (defined in a manner consistent with the 2007 EEO-1 reporting classifications).
More information will be available on the ARL and OCLC Web sites by July 15, 2008.
The ARL Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce offers leadership development and a stipend of up to $10,000 over two years to MLS students from underrepresented groups who are interested in careers in research libraries. The initiative is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and by voluntary contributions from 52 ARL member libraries. This funding reflects a commitment to create a diverse research library community that will better meet the new challenges of global competition and changing demographics. The Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce is located on the Web at http://www.arl.org/diversity/init/.
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of 123 research libraries in North America. Its mission is to influence the changing environment of scholarly communication and the public policies that affect research libraries and the diverse communities they serve. ARL pursues this mission by advancing the goals of its member research libraries, providing leadership in public and information policy to the scholarly and higher education communities, fostering the exchange of ideas and expertise, and shaping a future environment that leverages its interests with those of allied organizations. ARL is on the Web at http://www.arl.org/.
