Jan Merrill-Oldham Professional Development Grant

The Jan Merrill-Oldham Professional Development Grant is awarded by the ALCTS Preservation and Reformatting Section to provide librarians and paraprofessionals new to the preservation field with the opportunity to attend a professional conference and encourages professional development through active participation at the national level. The grant is to be used for airfare, lodging, and registration fees to attend the ALA Annual Conference.

Criteria for selection:

• Have five or fewer years of experience in the field of library and archives preservation.
• Currently work as a librarian or paraprofessional within a library or archives preservation department or who has preservation responsibilities within their institution, or a person currently enrolled in a preservation-related graduate program.
• Recommendations from colleagues.
• Express desire as stated in a short essay (up to 500 words) on the following theme: How would receiving the Jan Merrill-Oldham Professional Development Grant further your professional development goals?
• Willingness to participate in designated conference events:
• Work with a member of the jury to identify relevant programs and interest group sessions to attend.
• Attend the Preservation Administration Interest Group Meeting.
• Attend a least one PARS discussion group meeting.
• Submit a summary of the recipient’s conference experience to theALCTS Newsletter Online no later than 30 days after the conference.
• Members of the sponsor or its affiliated organizations are not eligible.

Nominations and applications shall include:

• Name, address, phone number, and email address of the nominee and nominating party or applicant
• Letter of application or nomination
• Two letters of recommendation from professional colleagues who know the candidate and his/her work
• A resume or curriculum vitae
• A short essay (up to 500 words) on the following theme: How would receiving the Jan Merrill-Oldham Professional Development Grant further your professional development goals?

Send nominations and applications via email to the award jury chair, Liz Dube,  [email protected].  Deadline for nominations and applications is December 1.