Spring Break
Master of Library Science students receive scholarships
COLRS program will meet the growing need of library media specialists
Natalie Jurgen
Issue date: 7/2/08 Section: News
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The workshops are hosted by the ECU Master of Library Science (MLS) program and are part of the COLRS scholarship program.
The goal of the COLRS scholarship program is to fulfill the growing need for certified library media specialists within rural and eastern North Carolina school districts.
The COLRS summer workshops will provide the COLRS scholarship recipients with a social networking opportunity, familiarity with the ECU MLS program and hands-on experience in their major's field.
The COLRS workshops will offer a wide variety of opportunities for students to become familiar with practical and theoretical experiences and resources and aid them in both their educational and work environments.
The workshops will host presentations by library practitioners and ECU LSIT faculty members.
"The presenters were chosen based on their ability to meet the needs of the graduate program and continuing education needs," said Dr. Larry Nash White, the Masters of Library Science program director and co-director of the scholarship program. "We found out what issues are developing and where we need help and then found people to present in those areas."
This year's workshops feature Donna Washington, a noted NC storyteller and presentations by Alan Bailey (multiculturalism), Dr. Ruth Clark (book talking), Dr. Jami Jones (teen resiliency) and interactive sessions on NC DPI IMPACT use on school media centers and MLS faculty research and professional issues.
This year 45 scholarships have been allocated and these students will receive full tuition in the Master's online program.
The workshops are not reserved for only scholarship recipients, but are open to the entire library science program.
"The scholarship program was developed by Dr. John Harer after research into the need for library media specialists in NC," White said. "The library specialist programs in schools are not currently producing enough graduates to meet the projected need and there isn't much diversity in the program."
The Institute for Museum and Library Services solicits those who review grants for projects. Harer had been involved with the review process and was given the criteria in grant proposals.
"The idea had been in my mind and was a perfect fit with the Latham Clinical Schools Network and the Wachovia Project," Harer, professor of library science said. "It's hard to get professionals in the rural school districts and that is what this program is designed to do.
The COLRS scholarship program has been made possible due to a grant to the Department of Library Science and Instructional Technology at ECU of $668,000 from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.
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