The ACRL Board of Directors has approved funding for one year of ALA and ACRL membership for up to 25 library workers who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color (BIPOC) and 15 library workers who identify as persons with disabilities. This membership amounts to an annual savings ranging from $106 to $236 per membership for the recipient.
Funding for the memberships will be provided for two years (July 2024 – June 2026). The ACRL EDI Committee will request an additional year of funding from the ACRL Board for recipients interested in continuing for a second year. This two-year funding cycle will allow for:
- Specific focus areas for each year:
- In 2024/2025: focus on orientation to ACRL
- In 2025/2026: focus on participation (committee service/leadership, presentations, and etc.)
- Alignment with the ACRL Conference schedule, enabling Cohort members to possibly present at the 2025 ACRL Conference which coincides with the second year of membership (should they be so motivated)
- Mentorship and support for submitting conference presentation proposals
- New recipients may assist with recruitment of the next year's group of membership recipients
ACRL has a core commitment to "acknowledge and address historical racial inequities; challenge oppressive systems within academic libraries; value different ways of knowing; and identify and work to eliminate barriers to equitable services, spaces, resources, and scholarship"[1]. Funding these memberships is one element of this commitment. Like the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Relief Renewals for BIPOC Members, this ACRL membership funding "increas[es] the intentional retention of a diverse membership, while reducing barriers to participation"[2].
Note: This membership funding is available to academic or research library workers who do not have an MLS/MLIS as well as those who do. Both are encouraged to apply.
Requirements
- Applicant must be an academic or research library worker who identifies as...
- Black, Indigenous, and/or as a Person of Color and/or
- Disabled or as a person with disabilities
Criteria for Consideration
If we receive more applications than the memberships for which we have funding, we will prioritize applications from academic or research library workers who:
- experienced household job loss, income loss, or furlough during the COVID-19 pandemic
- are early-career library workers (having less than 5 years of experience): applicants may decide what this means for you
- currently serve, have served, or will be serving underrepresented populations at academic, college, or research libraries or institutions, including junior, community, or technical colleges; vocational institutions; rural institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs); Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI), and etc.
- are new to ACRL
- provide specific information about their plans for participation in ACRL, which may include applicant's area of interest and plans for engagement
Application
The ACRL Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Committee will be reviewing applications. To apply, please submit your application by Friday, April 26, 2024. Awardees will be notified by June 1, 2024, and the free membership will begin on July 1, 2024. If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact Membership Initiatives Subcommittee coordinator Je Salvador at jsalv@uw.edu.