Published: July 27, 2007 03:53 am      

Grant to benefit SHSU library science students

As a former public school teacher and librarian, first lady Laura Bush has said, “books, information technology, and school librarians who are part of the schools’ professional team are basic ingredients for student achievement.”

Sam Houston State University will work to add more librarians into that recipe for success with a program that will provide full scholarships to 20 bilingual teachers from South Texas who are interested in pursuing a master’s degree in library science.

The scholarships are made possible through the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, a federal Institute of Museum and Library Services grant that was awarded to SHSU in June.

The $330,746, three-year grant will provide each student with full tuition, books, a laptop computer and will pay for their certification exam. In addition, the grant will cover all expenses for state and national library conferences, which participants will attend.

The need for librarians is great. According to the initiative page on the White House Web site, more than half of all librarians are projected to retire by 2019.

The librarian retirement rate, combined with the rate of school growth in the Rio Grande Valley and the fact that the department already has an established graduate program there is the reason they chose to recruit from that area.

The Rio Grande Valley is one of the fastest growing areas in the state, according to library science chair Mary Berry.

“We get schools constantly calling to see if we have any librarians that would be willing to apply in the area,” Berry said. “Some of those districts open as many as eight new schools in a year.”

Students will receive instruction via face-to-face classes held in South Texas, online classes and hybrid classes that combine the two.

The library science department faculty members have been traveling to South Texas on Saturdays to teach graduate classes for more than 30 years, and approximately 150 students are enrolled in its Valley program, Berry said.

Recruitment and orientation for those accepted into the scholarship program will take place during the fall 2007 semester, and students will begin classes in spring 2008.

“The grant will offer a wonderful opportunity to students who wish to become school librarians,” said Mary Ann Bell, program director and associate professor of library science.

Scholarship recipients must live in Educational Service Center Regions 1, 2, 3, or 20, meet university requirements for admission to the graduate program and must also submit writing samples and participate in personal interviews with faculty.

“We don’t want them to just become librarians,” Berry said. “We want them to become leaders in their districts, communities, and the state.

“For that reason, we will enable them to attend and actively participate in the Texas Library Association Conference and the American Library Association Conference, offering presentations and writing research papers to present.”

The application deadline is September 10.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums.

Its mission is to grow and sustain a “Nation of Learners” because life-long learning is essential to a democratic society and individual success.

For more information, contact Mary Ann Bell at (936) 294-4857 or LIS_MAH@shsu.edu, or visit the library science department Web site at http://www.shsu.edu/~lis_www/.