Proceedings of the First National Joint Conference of Librarians of Color - 221

County is Hispanic . Consequently, southeast Florida was selected as the area for recruitment because of the density and diversity of its population. The recruitment process was not limited to this area; students from other parts of the state were not discouraged from applying. At the deadline for submission of applications, ninety-four students had applied for the program. Applications were screened based on an evaluative rubric designed by the investigators. Of the twentyfive students and three alternates selected to enter the two and half year program, with tuition assistance from the grant, thirteen were minorities. Recipients were notified and given two weeks to accept or decline the scholarship. Following the recipients’ answer, SLIS’ partners MDPLS and SEFLIN designed and implemented a mentoring program for the scholars and created a web site for ease in communicating with the group. Identified as the ELSUN Mentoring Project, the partners provided active library professionals affiliated with MDPLS or SEFLIN as mentors to assist students as they advanced through the program and to give students the opportunity to shadow them in their respective work places. The partners sponsored three programs for the scholars: Mentor/Student Event I, “Librarianship from a Real World Perspective”; Mentor/Student Event II, “Intellectual Freedom in Libraries: Challenges and Status, 2005”; and Mentor/Student Event III, “Library Leadership in the 21st Century – a Panel.” The course program designed by the investigators proposed that scholars enroll in two courses every academic term with exception of the final semester when students would take the comprehensive examination and enroll in only one class. Students successfully completed the first classes during Summer 2004. During Fall semester 2005, it was noted that there had been some attrition of the original number of students recruited. Several students were affected negatively by family problems, illnesses, job related issues or hurricane damage. Additionally, the program assistant, who was also an ELSUN scholar and scheduled to graduate in December, was killed in a car accident in October. Her degree was award posthumously. The investigators decided that a reduction in course load would be a successful strategy for students who felt overwhelmed by taking two courses. A request for extension of the grant for two additional semesters was permitted to allow ample time for all students to successfully complete the program. Although several obstacles clouded the fall semester 2005, a highlight of the program is worth noting - the first graduate earned her master’s degree in December 2005 and was hired early in the Spring 2006. Several other students graduated in spring 2006 and obtained employment immediately. It is expected that the remaining students will graduate this Fall. The ELSUN grant provided financial assistance for students who otherwise would not have had the opportunity to receive an advanced degree. Yet, in some cases, it was not enough for non-traditional students. Perhaps a stipend would have been an additional asset. However, having agreed by signature during the application process to work in a community with an underserved population for two years upon completion of the program, students will have the opportunity to provide the kind of professional services that for too long have been lacking in many minority communities. 221

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12000.html http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12000.html

Proceedings of the First National Joint Conference of Librarians of Color

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Proceedings of the First National Joint Conference of Librarians of Color