| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2009
Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, jmjoseth@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov
IMLS Awards More Than $20 Million in
Librarian Recruitment and Education Grants
Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) today awarded 33 institutions Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grants totaling $20.4 million. With these grants, library students and staff will assist very young children in achieving early literacy; support libraries in rural communities; increase the number of school library media specialists; create more librarians with a specialty in government information services; increase diversity in the library workforce; and strengthen the workforce to better meet the needs of users of all types of libraries. To see a list of awardees and descriptions of how they intend to use their grants, please click here.
“The driving force behind any successful library is a staff of educated and dedicated library professionals,” said Anne-Imelda Radice, Director of IMLS. “It is IMLS’s great pleasure to announce the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program awards which will help support the next generation of library professionals in their academic and community-building endeavors.”
Since its inception in 2002, the program has funded the education and training of 3,220 Master’s students, 186 doctoral students, 1,256 pre-professionals, and 26,206 continuing education students. The program also supports grants for research related to library education and library staffing needs, curriculum development, and continuing education and training.
The next deadline for the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program is December 15, 2009. Click here for more information.
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