OCLC Minority Librarian Fellowship program will provide opportunities for under-represented groups

DUBLIN, Ohio, USA, 30 June 2008—OCLC has announced a new OCLC Minority Librarian Fellowship program designed to provide a unique opportunity for aspiring library professionals from historically under-represented groups.

The Fellowship program offers an opportunity to be part of the world’s leading library cooperative.  The 12-month program offers the selected Fellow two, three-month assignments within specific divisions of OCLC, and one six-month assignment with a specific operating unit within the OCLC organization.

"As part of OCLC's strong commitment to inclusion and diversity, we are dedicating the resources to fund a one-year paid Fellowship at OCLC for a librarian from an historically under-represented group," said Jay Jordan, OCLC President and CEO, announcing the new program during the OCLC President's Luncheon at the American Library Association Annual Conference in Anaheim, California, today.

Mr. Jordan said that in this inaugural year, in honor of Duane Webster, retiring Executive Director of ARL, OCLC is opening applications first to participants in and alumni of the ARL Scholars Program, which has a strong diversity program for graduate students and librarians.

"The OCLC Board of Trustees is fully committed to fostering a culture of inclusion at OCLC that values and respects people from a variety of cultures with diverse backgrounds," said Larry Alford, Chair, OCLC Board of Trustees. "The OCLC Minority Librarian Fellowship program offers a unique opportunity for individuals from under-represented groups to have an immediate impact on libraries worldwide through the OCLC cooperative."

The OCLC Minority Librarian Fellowship program will offer:

• Three months working with OCLC Member Services, which includes orientation to the OCLC member community, assistance with governing projects and participation in the Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Career Development Fellowship Program, a 30-day program which provides early career development and continuing education for library and information science professionals from countries with developing economies.
• Three months in OCLC Research assigned to a research scientist.
• Six months in an operating unit working with an assigned mentor from that unit. The 2008/2009 Fellow will work in OCLC Digital Collection Services, exploring opportunities to digitize historically important collections.

OCLC will begin accepting applications for the Fellowship July 15, 2008.  Deadline for applications is August 29, 2008.

Applicants must have earned an accredited MLS/MLIS or other graduate degree (granted by January 2009) in technology with a special emphasis in libraries or other cultural heritage institutions. For the inaugural year 2008/2009, and in honor of Duane Webster, retiring ARL Executive Director, the Fellowship will be open first to applicants who are current participants or alumni (with less than three years post graduate work experience) of the ARL Scholars Program as part of the ARL "Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce."

The applicant must have a demonstrated awareness and sensitivity in issues of inclusion/diversity; strong organizational skills which include the ability to organize workplans and processes toward a targeted outcome; exceptional communication skills; and the selected individual must represent historically under-represented groups (defined in a manner consistent with the 2007 EEO-1 reporting classifications).

More information will be available on the OCLC and ARL Web sites by July 15, 2008.

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