SLIS master’s student Jeri Ramos Morton has been chosen to receive an American Library Association (ALA) Spectrum Scholarship. The Spectrum Scholarship Program is ALA’s national diversity and recruitment effort designed to address the specific issue of under-representation of ethnic librarians within the profession. It seeks to improve service at the local library level by developing a workforce that represents the communities served.

Morton, who lives and works full time in Chesapeake, Virginia, is about to begin her third semester at The Florida State University as a distance student in the SLIS master’s program in library and information studies. She works in the Reference Department of the Central Library of Chesapeake Public Library System and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English literature with an emphasis in Medieval and Renaissance Studies.

“I have a special interest in bilingual, Spanish and multicultural literature,” Morton said. “This year, I proposed and organized our branch’s first ‘Cinco de Mayo Fiesta’ which included our first bilingual Spanish/English children’s story time as well as programs and activities for all ages. Adults and children had fun learning to play Loteria (Mexican Bingo). The children learned Spanish words as they played and enjoyed the piñata, too. Our Spanish population in Chesapeake is not large, but it is growing and I hope to do more outreach to this community.”

Spectrum provides a one-time $5,000 scholarship award paid in two installments directly to the recipient. Additional benefits include items such as free attendance to the Spectrum Leadership Institute (a 3 day institute that highlights cross cultural models of leadership and features national library and community leaders), a one-year student membership in ALA, and free student admission to the ALA Annual Conference during the year of the scholarship.

Recipients must attend an ALA-accredited graduate program in library and information studies or an ALA-recognized NCATE School Library Media program. They must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. or Canada who are American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander. Learn more about eligibility, application and benefits of Spectrum Scholarships.