2008 Marion E. Sparks Award for Professional Development

The Chemistry Division of the Special Libraries Association (SLA) is sponsoring a student/new member travel award to defray the costs of attending the 2008 SLA Annual Meeting June 15-18 in Seattle, WA. The award is intended to encourage the professional development of student members and new members of the Chemistry Division and encourage their participation in Chemistry Division activities. Previous winners include: Margaret Smith, New York University (2008) Michael Peper, University of North Carolina (2007) Yan He, Indiana University Bloomington (2006) Hilary Davis, North Carolina State University (2005) Meris Mandernach, Loyola University Chicago (2004) Stewart Curry, University of South Carolina (2003) Cory Craig, University of California Davis (2002) TRAVEL AWARD: $1,500 stipend to attend the 2008 SLA Annual Conference. The winner will also receive a certificate of achievement and will be introduced at the Chemistry Division Business Meeting & Breakfast.

ELIGIBILITY:
All student members of the Chemistry Division and all new members of the Chemistry Division (individuals who have joined since January 2007) are eligible. All applicants must have joined the Chemistry Division by March 3, 2008. See below for information on joining SLA and the Division.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
Please submit the following:

• A brief essay that: a) clearly articulates your objectives for professional development; and b) indicates what you hope to gain from attending the SLA Annual Meeting. Maximum length: 2 pages.
• Resume
• Names of two references
• Brief budget (expected expenses for registration, airfare, lodging, food and/or continuing education course).
  Registration in a Chemistry Division or other Continuing Education (CE) course is recommended, but not required.

DEADLINE:
All applications must be received by March 17, 2008. The winner will be notified by April 10, 2008. Essays will be judged by a panel of SLA Chemistry Division members.

HISTORY:
The award is named to honor Marion E. Sparks, a chemistry librarian at the University of Illinois from 1913 until her death in 1929. Ms. Sparks contributed a great deal to the field of chemical information, her achievements include teaching courses on chemical information, and authoring and publishing what is argued to be the first book to formally address chemical literature and library instruction.

SUBMIT APPLICATION VIA EMAIL TO:

Cory Craig (cjcraig@ucdavis.edu)
University of California, Davis
Physical Sciences & Engineering Library
One Shields Avenue
Davis, California 95616-8676

Want to join the Chemistry Division of SLA?
Not a member of SLA? Use this link to join SLA: http://www.sla.org/content/membership/joinsla/index.cfm
When you join SLA, you can also join one division for free, additional divisions are $18/year.

Already an SLA member? To join the Chemistry Division either: 1) Download the SLA Change/Add Units form: http://www.sla.org/content/membership/unitchange.cfm and fax or mail it to SLA. Or 2) Call 1-703-647-4936 and pay with a credit card. When you join SLA, you can also join one division for free, additional divisions are $18/year.