[CALIBK12] Librarian Recruitment Project Funded by IMLS

[Jane Fisher]

Serra Cooperative Library System Receives National Grant Award

To Recruit Librarians to Serve San Diego and Imperial Counties



San Diego, Calif. – June 22, 2009 – Serra Cooperative Library System,  
serving San Diego and Imperial Counties, was selected to receive a  
Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grant award from the  
Institute of Museum and Library Services, the primary source of  
federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums.  The $708,138  
grant will allow Serra to partner with the School of Library and  
Information Science (SLIS) at San Jose State University to recruit and  
educate a new generation of librarians who will serve California’s two  
counties bordering Mexico.



The three-year project, Preparing Librarians to Serve Diverse  
Communities Along our Nation’s Border, will address the challenges  
currently faced by Serra’s 14 public library systems, as they struggle  
to fill a growing number of vacant librarian positions with  
individuals who enjoy serving the area’s multicultural and  
multilingual population and who reflect the community’s rich  
diversity.  Future librarians will be recruited from the pool of 750  
paraprofessionals who already staff Serra libraries.  They will  
receive scholarships, mentoring, and other support as they earn their  
Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree and prepare to  
transition to professional positions.



In addition to the partnership with SLIS, Serra’s leaders will  
collaborate with the Desert Valley Library Media Association and  
LIBROS, San Diego’s Chapter of REFORMA, to create a supportive  
environment for a distributed group of MLIS students, spread across  
the two counties, helping them balance family and work  
responsibilities with the demands of a graduate program delivered  
through distance learning.



All employees of Serra libraries will benefit from local educational  
events and networking opportunities, which will expand their  
understanding of how libraries can meet the needs of diverse  
populations.  Additionally, local career fairs will encourage  
individuals to consider a career in librarianship.



For more information, contact Contact:
Vera Skop, at 619 232 1225, or via email at        vskop at serralib.org.


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About Serra Cooperative Library System

The Serra Cooperative Library System (www.serralib.org) is comprised  
of 14 public library systems that serve the communities of San Diego  
and Imperial Counties in California.  They include two large systems,  
each with over 30 branches, as well as small libraries with one  
location or with branches that have a single employee.  Together,  
Serra libraries serve their communities at nearly 100 different  
locations.  Serra associate members include a community health  
library, a public law library, three libraries that serve local  
military bases, a library at a correctional facility, and a local  
community college that offers a library technician program.  Serra’s  
mission is to help member libraries provide expanded resources and  
improved services at reduced costs.



About the San Jose School of Library and Information Science

The School of Library and Information Science at San Jose State  
University (http://slisweb.sjsu.edu) offers the world’s largest  
accredited master’s degree program in Library and Information Science,  
with more than 2,800 graduate students.  Students who are interested  
in pursuing a career in electronic records management enroll in the  
School’s Master in Archives and Records Administration degree  
program.  Additionally, the School partners with Queensland University  
of Technology to offer a doctoral degree program in Library and  
Information Science.

The School is ranked #22 among the nation’s top programs in Library  
and Information Science, according to U.S. News & World Report’s  
“America’s Best Graduate Schools.”  The School is also a recognized  
leader in making effective use of leading edge technologies for  
distance learning.



About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of  
federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums.  
The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that  
connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the  
national level and in coordination with state and local organizations  
to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and  
innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about  
the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.
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