It’s ALSC professional award season and our goal this year is to see you apply for one of these great grants and scholarships. To help you understand why, we’ve prepared a list of the top ten reasons why you should apply for award or grant this fall!
1. Programs are expense
ALSC has a bunch of great grants that will help cover the cost of materials, speakers fees, and other assorted costs.
2. Your boss will love it
Nothing says, go-getter like going and getting a grant or award. Especially for early-career professionals! Go get ’em!
3. Your community will love it
Awards and grants are great public relations fodder. When you win, you can share the news with your local newspaper. Brag a little!
4. A gateway to becoming more involved
ALSC professional award winners are in a special community among themselves. Winning an award with ALSC shows that you are ready for bigger things. Think of the places you’ll go, for instance, if you won the Bechtel Fellowship and spent four week studying children’s literature at the University of Florida’s Baldwin Library!
5. Take advantage of membership
Most ALSC professional awards are open to ALSC members, so make sure to use this benefit to your advantage.
6. Host a famous author or illustrator
This is specific to one amazing award…the Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Award. You could bring a recognized author/illustrator to your school or library!
7. Showcase your great ideas
Think you have a really innovative and exceptional program? This is a great way to show it off. Apply for a grant like the Light the Way or Baker & Taylor Summer Reading Grant which recognize outstanding ideas.
8. We tailored these specifically to librarians involved in youth services
You’re probably already doing these things in your library, so why not get recognized for it?
9. You can also recognize someone else!
The ALSC Distinguished Service Award recognizes an ALSC member who has made significant contributions to and an impact on, library services to children and ALSC. Know someone like that? Nominate him or her!
10. Money doesn’t grow on trees..nor do books!
Maybe your parents told you this at one point, but it’s true! ALSC grants and awards are a great way to supplement your library budget. If you’re in a small library that wants to build your collection, consider applying for the Bookapalooza program (applications open soon)!
Hurry! Many ALSC professional awards have deadlines of November 1, 2015.