Collection Development Professional Development Grant

Established in 2021, the Collection Development Professional Development Grant provides health sciences librarians working in collection development and related information management fields with the support needed for educational activities. 

Eligibility

• The applicant must:
• employed as a health sciences librarian within the last year in either a hospital or other clinical care or academic institution.
• be a member of MLA. (membership options)
• The applicant may not have received an MLA grant, scholarship, or other awards within the last year.
• It is preferred that the applicant:
  • be a member of the Collection Development Caucus. Proof of caucus membership history may be confirmed by contacting MLA Member Services.
  • update their MLA member profile page.

Terms

The grant jury will assess the application and score points based on statement of career objectives, relevance of course to objectives, funding justification,  and clarity of application. 

• The application should include: 
  • a description of the professional development activity, including scope, duration, and budget.
  • a detailed itemization of the financial support requested.
  • indication of how skills obtained may result in a specific outcome (e.g., planned research project, publication, change in library operations, etc.).
• In the case of support for scientific research:
  • describe the research project including title, goals, objectives, methodology, budget, the project’s contribution to the field of library and information practice, and identification of a research mentor.
  • show how the educational program or research project will aid in achieving objectives set forth in the educational policy and research policy statements referenced above.
• Late and incomplete applications will not be considered.
• The online application must be completed and any supporting documents uploaded no later than November 15.
• Depending on the qualifications/requests of the candidates, the jury may recommend that the grant not be awarded in a given year.
• MLA will acknowledge applications upon receipt via email.

Awarding of Grant

• No more than one employee per institution per year.
• Not given to support work toward a degree or certificate program.
• Maximum of two grants awarded per year, with a maximum (aggregate) award of $2000. 
• In the case of support for scientific research:
• Recipient will submit a progress report one year after receiving the grant, with a follow-up report at the conclusion of the project.
• Upon acceptance for publication, recipient must inform MLA and recognition of MLA support must be given.

Grant Funds

• The grant may be used for professional development and/or activities in the areas of medical information services.  
• All proposed expenses must clearly align with the intention of the grant and will be evaluated for relevance.
• Funding may be used for reasonable and actual expenses that meet MLA guidelines:
• Direct costs related to profession development or conference attendance (e.g., registration fees, books)
• Direct costs related to the project, where applicable (e.g., scans of library resources or interlibrary loans, teleconferencing fees, virtual polling software)
• Physical travel within North America, or international travel when specifically allowed (e.g., mileage, travel fares, lodging)
• Costs to enable the awardee to travel (may allow for compensation for reasonable expenses, e.g., family caregiving)
• The funds may not be used for institutional overhead, other indirect costs, or income tax payments.

Recipient

• The grant recipient will be notified in March and will receive grant funds after expense statements, receipts, and verification of program completion are  submitted to MLA headquarters in June.   
• The amount requested and actual grant awarded may not necessarily be the same amount. The amount reimbursed will not exceed actual expenses.
• The period of disbursement of grant funds will not exceed one year past the date of the MLA annual conference. 
• The recipient will be asked to share a photo and video for the virtual awards ceremony held in April. 
• If there are no appropriate candidates, the association may elect not to present the grant in a given year.

Ready to Submit an Application?

• Choose the 2024 online application form. 
• Once saved, the form remains open for changes or to upload supporting documents until November 15, 11:59 p.m. (CDT). 
• Incomplete and late submissions will not be considered.

Past Award Recipients

• 2023: Dianne M. Aldrich and Joanne Romano