MLA Scholarship

A scholarship of up to $5,000 is awarded annually by the Medical Library Association (MLA) to a student who shows excellence in scholarship and potential for accomplishment in health sciences librarianship. The scholarship is announced at the annual conference of the association, where the recipient will also receive a one-year student membership in MLA and free inclusive student registration at the association’s annual conference.

Eligibility

• The applicant must be entering a master's program at an American Library Association (ALA)–accredited graduate library school or, at the time of the granting of the scholarship (March), have completed no more than one-half of the academic requirements of the graduate program.
• The applicant must be a citizen of or have permanent residence in either the United States or Canada.
• The recipient may receive only one MLA scholarship in a given year.
• Past recipients of the MLA Scholarship or the MLA Scholarship for Under-represented Students are not eligible to apply.
• Membership in MLA is not required. (discounted student membership is available)

Terms

• The online application must be completed, and all supporting documents uploaded no later than November 15, 2022.
• The disbursement of funds will not exceed one year past the date of the annual conference. Payments will be made in two equal installments. The first in June after the annual conference. The second payment is made after the fall semester when updated transcripts are received by MLA.
• The recipient will be notified in March before the annual conference at which the public announcement is made. The recipient assumes all costs of attending the conference and the ceremony at which the announcement is made. The association will underwrite the conference registration fees.
• Depending on the qualifications of the candidates, the jury may recommend that the scholarship not be presented in a given year.
• MLA will acknowledge applications upon receipt via email.

Submission Checklist

• Completed application.
• Unofficial, or official, transcripts uploaded in the application from each college or university attended, including community college, undergraduate and graduate colleges.
• Copy of library school’s catalog or web page, which states the number of credits needed for a degree, uploaded to the application.

NOTE:  One application serves for three MLA Scholarships. One jury reviews all submissions to all scholarships. Duplicate submissions are not necessary. 

Ready to Submit an Application?

• The scholarship application process is closed.
• The recipient will be announced in March 2023.
• Applications will open next in August 2023.

Scholarship Recipients

• 2022: Kristen Burroughs
• 2021: Claudio Garcia
• 2020: Samantha Kennefick Wilairat
• 2019: Jordan Wrigley
• 2018: Justin Fuhr
• 2017: Christine Remenih
• 2016: Daron MacQueen
• 2015: Catherine Hana
• 2014: Allyson Mackay
• 2013: Laura Pavlech
• 2012: Kevin Pardon
• 2011: Karen Gutzman
• 2010: Kathryn Elliott
• 2009: Elaine Hicks
• 2008: Lisa O'Keefe
• 2007: Catherine Murch
• 2006: Christine Greipp
• 2005: Teresa Hammett
• 2004: Amanda Biggins
• 2003: Lori Gluckman Winterfeldt
• 2002: Shelagh Genuis
• 2001: Beverlee Warren
• 2000: Laurie Blasingame
• 1999: Cynthia Lynn Ammons
• 1998: Heather B. Blunt
• 1997: Joan Marie Kearns
• 1996: Sally K. Fessler
• 1995: Liane Lenski
• 1994: Ronald Banks
• 1993: Alicia Busch
• 1992: Heidi Ann Heilemann
• 1991: Joyce Condon
• 1990: Reeta Sinha
• 1989: Sara Louise Cook
• 1988: Colleen Anne Marty
• 1987: Douglas L. Varner

This award was temporarily discontinued after 1980. The scholarship was awarded once again after new guidelines were established similar to the underrepresented student scholarship in 1987/88.

• 1980: Fred H. Shapiro
• 1979: Paul J. Bredderman and Elaine Marie Russo
• 1978: Patricia Petroni
• 1977: Mary Ann DeMeo and Philip Wexler
• 1976: Suzanne Sager
• 1975: Janet S. Burwell and Kathleen Elaine Graham
• 1974: Virginia Feagler
• 1973: Susan B. Loesch and Elizabeth A. Guillaumin
• 1972: Margaret Summers and Lawrence Klein
• 1971: Mary Hayes and Helen Plachta
• 1970: none swarded
• 1969: Deborah Bird, Diane Magidson, and Marialice Wilson
• 1968: Linda Angold, Howertine Leona Farrell, and Hollace Ellen Henkel
• 1967: Beatrice Kovars and Charles Snell
• 1966: Ronald Jeffreys and Jay S. Richmond
• 1965: Dorothy Eakin

Have a question? Contact MLA