The latest news on IMLS grants, released today.

Over $21 Million in IMLS Grants to Recruit New Librarians and Help
Offset National Shortage: Grants Include Scholarships, Minority and
Bilingual Student Recruitment, Employment Opportunities and More

June 28, 2005 updated 11:42 AM		Eileen Maxwell,
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202-653-4632					Mamie Bittner,
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Over $21 Million Grants to Recruit New Librarians and Help Offset
National Shortage

Federal Grants Include Scholarships, Minority and Bilingual Student
Recruitment, Employment Opportunities and More

Washington, DC-The federal Institute of Museum and Library Services
announced $21,087,684 in grants to 37 universities, libraries, and
library organizations across the country today to recruit and educate a
new generation of librarians.  The grants are designed to help offset a
current shortage of school library media specialists, library school
faculty, and librarians working in underserved communities, as well a
looming shortage of library directors and other senior librarians who
are expected to retire in the next 20 years.*   For a contact list of
the organizations funded with descriptions of their recruitment and
education projects, please access
http://www.imls.gov/whatsnew/current/L21.htm .

Since First Lady Laura Bush first announced the President would support
a multi-million initiative to recruit new librarians in 2002, the
Institute has funded 1,537 master's degree students, 119 doctoral
students, 660 pre-professional students, and 378 continuing education
students.

"Librarianship is absolutely critical to the nation's education
infrastructure," said Dr. Robert Martin, Director of the Institute.
"There is a strong correlation between good school libraries and student
academic achievement.  Public librarians help their communities increase
literacy rates, provide top-notch after school programs, and even assist
local residents in finding jobs. And in this digital age, library
science professionals are more important than ever.  Anyone who has had
the experience of searching for information on the World Wide Web and
had over 10,000 references returned would agree."

The Institute's approach to recruiting and educating a new generation of
librarians is multi-faceted.  The grants include tuition assistance,
curriculum development, service expectations, job placement, recruitment
of non-traditional library students, support for doctoral candidates to
teach library science, and research.  Today's grants benefit 22
doctoral, 567 master's, 378 continuing education, and 538
pre-professional students, and fund two research projects.

* In May 2000, Library Journal magazine reported 40% of America's
library directors plan to retire in 9 years or less. And, according to
the July 2000 Monthly Labor Review, in 1998 57% of professional
librarians were age 45 or older. The March 2002 issue of American
Libraries magazine showed that based on 1990 Census data almost 58% of
professional librarians will reach the age of 65 between 2005 and 2019.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is an independent federal
grant-making agency dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of
learners by helping libraries and museums serve their communities. The
Institute fosters leadership, innovation, and a lifetime of learning by
supporting the nation's 15,000 museums and 122,000 libraries. The
Institute also encourages partnerships to expand the educational benefit
of libraries and museums. To learn more about the Institute, please
visit http://www.imls.gov.

Eileen Maxwell
Public Affairs Officer
Institute of Museum and Library Services
1800 M Street, NW
9th Floor
Washington, DC  20036-5802
202-653-4632
202-653-4600(fax)
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