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Press Releases

What's New: August 2005

MLA Announces Recipients of 2006 Spectrum Scholarships

MLA Announces Recipients of 2006 Spectrum Scholarships

The Medical Library Association (MLA) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) pledged a commitment to the American Library Association's (ALA's) Spectrum Initiative Scholarship Program to support minority students in their goals of becoming health sciences information professionals and to help address the critical need for minority representation in health sciences libraries. Together, MLA and NLM will jointly sponsor two annual Spectrum scholarships instead of one, as in previous years. In addition, the two organizations will also make total annual donations of $6,500 to each Spectrum scholar, an increase from the $5,000 awarded previously. MLA is pleased to announce the 2006 recipients of the ALA Spectrum Initiative Scholarship Program:

Candice Anne Mack plans to use the scholarship to gain a deeper understanding of information science to better meet the needs of her diverse community. She holds a bachelor of arts in psychology and has worked six years as a full-time library paraprofessional. Mack, who currently works as a library specialist in the Cedars-Sinai Medical Library Interlibrary Loans and Document Delivery Services department, looks forward to gaining a theoretical background in the profession. "I believe that a graduate program in information science will unite theory with work experience and assist me in becoming a true information professional," she stated. Upon graduation, Mack plans to become a consumer health librarian in a diverse, underrepresented community.

Ghouse S. A. Mohammed, project assistant, Medical School, Center for the Study of Diversity in Healthcare, University of Wisconsin-Madison, finds satisfaction in providing resources and materials to patrons and will use the scholarship to support his goal of becoming a reference librarian in an academic setting.

Mohammed stated, "My first professional position in the US was in a library, a memorable experience for me, reinforcing my love for books and information and a renewal of respect for its guardians. I now want to formally join this fellowship as a reference librarian." Fluent in two Indian languages, Mohammed holds a master of science in geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master of business administration from the University of Maine-Orono. Through his work as an interlibrary loan associate at Rølvaag Memorial Library, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, and as assistant director, Financial Aid, Data Management and Research, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, he has enjoyed working with various people and looks forward to continuing to do so after receiving his master of arts in library and information studies in 2006.

African American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander prospective library school applicants or individuals attending ALA-accredited library schools with less than twelve credit hours are welcome to apply for the Spectrum Initiative Scholarship. For more information, visit the MLA Awards page, contact the ALA Spectrum Program at 800.545.2433 x4276, or email spectrum@ala.org.

MLA congratulates the 2006 Spectrum scholars and looks forward to continuing its work with NLM and ALA in furthering the goal of increasing diversity in the health librarianship profession.

MLA, a nonprofit, educational organization, is comprised of health sciences information professionals with more than 4,500 members worldwide. Through its programs and services, MLA provides lifelong educational opportunities, supports a knowledgebase of health information research, and works with a global network of partners to promote the importance of quality information for improved health to the health care community and the public.

For more information, please contact Lisa C. Fried, mlapd2@mlahq.org, 312.419.9094 x28.