The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has been awarded a grant by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Laura Bush 21st-Century Librarian Program. An amount of $543,014 has been awarded to fund the next iteration of the Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce (IRDW). The IRDW will provide support for graduate school in library and information science and other professional development opportunities to 30 students from traditionally under-represented racial and ethnic minority groups over the next three years.
Recruitment for the programme will focus on students with academic training in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. Participants in the IRDW, known as ARL Diversity Scholars, receive a generous compensation package over the course of two years and numerous other benefits. These include mentoring relationship with a professional librarian; leadership and job-search skills development provided through ARL's annual Leadership Symposium, held in January during the ALA Midwinter Meeting; career placement; paid membership in the American Library Association (ALA) and one of ALA's five ethnic caucuses for one year; stipend of up to $10,000 over two years to help defray the cost of graduate school; and support of up to $2,500 per student for continuing professional skills development in an approved programme such as the Modern Archives Institute, Rare Book School, or similar programme.
This is the third grant awarded to support ARL diversity recruitment efforts since 2003. To date, ARL's Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce has supported the MLIS education of over 125 students.
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