School of Information Sciences

Diversity Librarian Fellowship and Residency Program
Call for Applications: 2017 – 2019

Overview

The Diversity Librarian Fellowship and Residency Program offers minority candidates an opportunity to pursue the Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree while gaining valuable, hands-on experience in a large academic library system. The goal of this two-year program is to increase the number of underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities within academic librarianship by providing the graduate education and the practical experience critical for successful entrance into the profession.

Program Structure

During the first year, the selected fellow will receive a full-tuition scholarship to cover the completion of the MLIS program (three-terms) at the School of Information Sciences. The fellow will also receive a stipend (currently $21,930/full year) and a 20 hours/week Graduate Student Assistant position within the University Library System (ULS), which will provide an unparalleled opportunity to experience academic librarianship from all the major perspectives (public services/reference, collection development, and technical services).

Upon successful completion of the MLIS program (minimum GPA of 3.0), the fellow will receive a 12-month residency appointment at the rank of Librarian I and will be paid the prevailing ULS entry-level salary ($37,764) with full faculty benefits. The actual residency assignment will be made based on the particular interests of the fellow and the needs of ULS at that time. The fellow will be provided appropriate workspace and equipment, and will be given financial support to attend one professional conference per year. 

During the period as a GSA and subsequent full-time appointment, the fellow will report to a direct supervisor in each area of assignment. The ULS Head of Library Human Resources will act as the program coordinator. The ULS will assist the fellow in any reasonable way to find permanent employment in academic librarianship upon successful completion of the full-time residency. In addition to the above assignments, the fellow will be expected to work closely with the program coordinator to revise the program for future participants.

Qualifications

To qualify, the candidate must

Environment

Founded in 1787, the University of Pittsburgh [www.pitt.edu] is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the United States. Today, Pitt is an internationally recognized center of learning and research, strong in the arts, sciences, and professional areas.

Pitt serves approximately 33,000 students, including more than 9,000 graduate students, at its 15 schools and four regional campuses.

The School of Information Sciences (SIS) [www.ischool.pitt.edu] offers seven degrees and six certificates of advanced study in the areas of information science, telecommunications, and library and information science. The Library and Information Science Program at the University of Pittsburgh is ranked in the top 10 nationally by library administrators and educators. SIS’ MLIS program is accredited by the American Library Association.

The University of Pittsburgh's University Library System (ULS) [www.library.pitt.edu] is a member of the Association of Research Libraries and contains over 4.9 million volumes, 50,000 subscriptions, and 7.5 million pieces of microforms. The ULS consists of 16 libraries and employs 66 faculty librarians and 135 staff. In addition to the ULS, the University of Pittsburgh includes libraries for the health sciences and law school.

The city of Pittsburgh is located in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in the United States, Pittsburgh is recognized for its natural beauty and unique blend of cultural, education, and technological resources. Additional information on the city of Pittsburgh can be found at www.pittsburghpa.gov.

Apply

Interested applicants must submit a completed application to the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences. Applications are available through SIS’ online application system, ApplyYourself [http://bit.ly/ApplyYourselfLogin].

In addition to the documents required for admission into the School of Information Sciences, applicants for this program are required to write a 1-2 page essay describing their interest in academic librarianship and the Diversity Librarian Fellowship and Residency program (academic librarianship is defined as serving in college/university/research libraries). This essay should be submitted with the completed application no later than January 15. Selection of the fellow will be made through a joint decision by the School of Information Sciences and the University Library System.

Please direct questions to:
Debbie Day, Program Administrator
University of Pittsburgh
School of Information Sciences
Library and Information Science Program
(412) 624-9420
E-mail: ded15@pitt.edu

View flyer: http://www.ischool.pitt.edu/resources/diversity/ULS-SIS-DLFRP-2017-2019.pdf

The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution.