Calling All New ALA Librarians: Apply For NMRT’s 2016 Professional Development Grant

Hey librarians, are you an ALA member? Are you also part of the New Members Round Table (NMRT)? If you answered yes to both of those questions, then first of all: we think you are so cool and we’d like to formally apply to be your best friend. But we also want you to know that there’s still time for you to apply for the 2016 Mango/NMRT Professional Development Grant.Submit your application and you could be on your way to the 2016 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, Florida. In partnership with NMRT, we want to make sure bright, committed new librarians have the opportunity to further their cause and their careers by attending this landmark library event. To us, libraries are where all of the action happens. A hub of knowledge, resources, and learning for communities all over the country (scratch that — the world!), we’re as committed as you are to making our libraries of tomorrow the very best that they can be. That’s why we teamed up with NMRT to keep this professional development opportunity alive and well. Now it’s your turn: what’s your motivation for getting to ALAAC16 this year? Tell your story and apply by Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at 5:00 PM (EST). Come June 23, you could be packing your bags and heading to Orlando — and if you’re looking for a little extra motivation, the Mango team will be in attendance, and we really like to party with librarians.

Here’s what you need to know. To be considered, you must currently be a member of ALA and ALA’s New Members Round Table; an organization devoted to supporting librarians who have been in the field for less than ten years. You also need to be available to attend ALAAC16 in Orlando, Florida from June 23 - June 28, 2016 — and let’s be honest, it’s worth clearing your calendar for. This grant is all about supporting your personal mission for your local library, so don’t be afraid to share your dreams and aspirations for your home library in your application. The selection committee is also looking for candidates who are energized and excited to participate in the ALA and NMRT communities by sharing ideas, attending events, and keeping the national librarian community alive and well. For the nitty gritty details of the application, check out the award and award criteria.

Looking for an extra dose of inspiration? Look no further than last year’s winner, Veronica Leigh Milliner. Read all about this new librarian superstar on the ALA website — her story is a good one. Veronica works as a Library and Information Services Trainer for the St. Lucia Public Library System in the Eastern Caribbean. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a B.A. double major in Ethics, History, & Public Policy and Film & Media Studies, so we already know she’s smart as a whip. She went on to receive an MLIS from the University of Pittsburgh in 2010. Veronica is a librarian with both purpose and heart: her passions in the library field include library services for poor and marginalized people — both domestically and abroad. She spends her time investing in public programming and outreach, and investigating ways in which libraries serve as transformative and beneficial institutions within our communities. In short, she’s a superstar — and now ALA is on the hunt for 2016’s next award-worthy new librarian.

Spread the word to the eligible librarians in your life, and help keep the spirit of tomorrow’s libraries thriving and well. Remember: applications are due Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at 5:00 PM (EST) — ALAAC16 could be just a click away!