A. Eligibility and application procedures

1. Description

The Standing Committee of the Academic and Research Libraries Section (SC-ARL), with generous sponsorship by EX LIBRIS and SAGE, is offering three (3) Attendance Grants to the 2020 World Library and Information Congress in Dublin, Ireland, to emerging professionals from an academic and research environment.

One awardee will be selected from each of these regions:

  • Africa
  • Latin America
  • Asia/Pacific region

2. Purpose of the grant

The purpose of the grant is to provide emerging professionals with the opportunity to attend the IFLA Congress, engage with other professionals across the world and to facilitate the development of networking for the advancement of librarianship at the recipient’s institution and country.

Over and above that which is stated below, the expectation is that the recipient will be an ambassador for advancement of librarianship with the possibility of mentoring other young librarians in their institution/ country.

3. What does the Attendance Grant Cover?

Each grant covers the early registration fee for attending the congress of Euro 510 which expires on 15 May 2020.

The Attendance Grant will also provide support for travel and/or accommodation of up to Euro 700.

Applicants must be able to attend the Congress and will be responsible for all other costs associated with Congress attendance.

4. What is expected from the grant holders?

The successful candidates will be required to be onsite at the Congress and participate for the duration of the Congress.

The awardees will also be required to attend the IFLA Awards session to receive their certificates.

Next to that it is expected to join the SC-ARL business meetings and the SC-ARL sessions during the conference.

Recipients will be required to write a brief article about their Congress experience (approximately 500 words) for publication on the SC-ARL Section blog within 3 months of the end of the Congress.

5. Eligibility

  1. the applicant must work (be employed) in an academic/research library or be currently enrolled as an LIS student
  2. the applicant should not have attended the IFLA Congress before
  3. the applicant must be willing to share his/her experience at the IFLA Congress at home with e.g. universities, Library Associations, their community etc.
  4. the applicant must be eligible to obtain a visa for travel 
  5. the applicant must be able  to fund all other costs beyond the grant that are involved in attending the Congress, e.g. all other hotel, travel and subsistence expenses NOT covered by the Grant
  6. the applicant must have approval from his/her employer to attend the IFLA World Library and Information Congress
  7. new professionals, students of Library and Information Studies (LIS) and those working in LIS jobs for the first time are given higher priority in the assessment process 
  8. those who have previously received this Grant (formerly known as Essay Contest) are not eligible to apply

6. Application Procedures

Applications must include the following:

  1. applicant’s contact details: Name, Address, E-mail, Institution/Organization, Title Position
  2. educational profile
  3. short summary of his/her employment and/or student status
  4. describe how attending IFLA will benefit you in a personal and/or professional capacity, with reference to this year’s conference theme. Maximum 250 words.
  5. explain how you intend to apply the benefits outlined in d above, in a practical way after the Congress, either personally or for the library/information unit you work in. Maximum 250 words.

To apply, please complete the application form and send it to Liz State, lizstate@gmail.com, by 15 March 2020.

All applications will be acknowledged upon receipt.

All applicants will receive notification of award status by 15 May 2020.