This site provides information for potential applicants about the Librarians Serving the Public scholarship program offered through the Florida State University College of Information. There is a general description of Librarians Serving the Public (LSP), and then instructions and links to needed resources for potential applicants (including new applicants, applicants already admitted for Fall 2007, and continuing students).

LSP

The College of Information has partnered with the Central Florida Library Cooperative (CFLC), the Northeast Florida Library Information Network (NEFLIN), and the Panhandle Library Access Network (PLAN) in this program, which is supported through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. With its partners, the College will recruit and select students to earn the MSLIS degree and to meet the diversity and leadership needs of academic, public, and school libraries in northern and central Florida.

The College is currently able to offer 20 scholarships to begin in Fall 2007. The scholarships will pay tuition for 6 credits of master's degree coursework for 3 semesters (Fall 2007, Spring 2008, and Summer 2008). This is a total of 18 credits, or one-half the MSLIS program at the College.

Students will be offered advising and mentoring as part of the LSP program. Participants in the program will also be expected to participate in focus groups and surveys as part of the evaluation of LSP that is required by our funding agency. Students in the LSP program will be strongly encouraged to attend one professional conference as a group during the academic year, but because we cannot offer additional funding for travel, the conference will not be required.

Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate a commitment to working in public, academic, and/or school libraries in north or central Florida. Acceptance to the program is also competitive based on the materials submitted in application to Florida State University, the College of Information and to Librarians Serving the Public.

New applicants

For new applicants, the deadlines for admission to FSU and the College of Information are coming quickly. Please focus first on completing your application to Florida State University (by July 1), second on your application to the College of Information (by July 13), and third on your LSP program application materials (by July 27).

Admission requirements for the University and the College are found here: http://ci.fsu.edu/go/graduate/admission_req_us

A "getting started" page with information about the application process -- including whom to ask for help! -- is here: http://ci.fsu.edu/go/graduate/getting_started

You must follow the requirements of the University, but to alert you now: the University will want -- in addition to an application and application fee -- official transcripts (which you will need to request to have sent) from each institution you have attended and official GRE scores. If you have not taken the GRE, you will need to do so. You should request the official transcripts and GRE score reports ASAP, but if you can provide unofficial transcripts and/or GRE score reports more quickly, keep those handy.

Again, you must follow the requirements of the College, but to alert you: the College of Information application also requires you to include names and contact information for 3 references and a statement of goals.

The University and College application processes are independent of the LSP application process. For assistance with your application to the University and/or the College, please contact the appropriate Graduate Program Professionals.

∗To apply to the LSP program itself, you will need to submit two additional things directly to the LSP faculty contact listed below:

  1. One LETTER of recommendation to the LSP program, preferably from a professional staff member at your workplace or from a college or university professor who is acquainted with your work. The letter should emphasize interpersonal skills and leadership ability or potential; personal achievements; intellectual qualifications; ability to communicate; industry and self-discipline; and potential for the program.
  2. A substantive essay of 750-1000 words in the form of a "Letter-to-Self," detailing an interest in librarianship and describing the professional outcomes you hope to achieve by the completion of the Librarians Serving the Public program. We understand that this may overlap with the statement of goals you prepared for your application to the College, and that is fine.

The LSP letter of recommendation and letter-to-self essay ONLY should be submitted directly to: Dr. Michelle Kazmer, FSU College of Information, 101 Louis Shores Building, P.O. Box 3062100, Tallahassee FL 32306-2100. Dr. Kazmer's email address is kazmer[at]ci[dot]fsu[dot]edu. Questions about the LSP program specifically can be addressed to Dr. Kazmer (I'm usually pretty quick with email), but remember -- University and College application questions can best be answered by the Graduate Program Professionals!

New applicants who are not selected for Librarians Serving the Public but who are admitted to the graduate program at the College of Information are still welcome to enter the master's program, but funding will not be provided.

Applicants already admitted for Fall 2007

If you are an incoming new student who has already been admitted to FSU and the College of Information to begin in Fall 2007, you are eligible to apply for the LSP program if you are committed to working in a public, academic, or school library in north or central Florida once you earn your MSLIS degree (this includes if you already work in one and plan to continue to do so).

To apply for LSP, you need to submit the letter of recommendation for LSP and the letter-to-self essay as described above (section marked ∗), directly to Dr. Michelle Kazmer. We may also examine and consider your existing application materials on file at the College.

Continuing students

If you are already a student in the College of Information, you may be eligible to apply for the LSP program. There are three initial criteria you need to meet to be eligible to apply:

  1. You must still have to earn at least 18 credits toward your degree as of the beginning of Fall 2007 (in other words, for our 36-credit MSLIS, you have to have earned 18 credits or fewer by the end of Summer 2007).
  2. You must be in good standing in the College and University.
  3. You must be committed to working in a public, academic, or school library in north or central Florida once you earn your MSLIS degree (this includes if you already work in one and plan to continue to do so).

To apply for LSP, you need to submit the letter of recommendation for LSP and the letter-to-self essay as described above (section marked ∗), directly to Dr. Michelle Kazmer. We may also examine and consider your existing application materials on file at the College.