B03-14

B O A R D D O C U M E N T

TO: Board of Directors

FROM: Linda Broussard, Director, Leadership/Member Services and

Diana Gonzales, Member Services Associate

RE: Proposal to Fund SLA Student Membership/Scholarship Applications

DATE: December 24, 2002

At the Annual Conference Board meeting in June 2002, staff were directed by the Board of Directors to investigate a package of promotional material that would be appropriate for students contemplating enrollment in library school and assess financial implications.

Option 1. A package including student membership brochures, scholarship applications and posters is proposed.

Design/Printing cost budget is $10,500 for the three pieces.

Postage and mailing for the year $1,000.

Option 2. An alternative would be to develop a postcard for mailing to students and including in new student member packets. The postcard would direct the recipient to an appropriate web page for more detailed information and application. Cost for development/printing and postage is $3,000.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT: There is the benefit of promoting SLA, its scholarship opportunities and thereby increasing awareness of the information profession. Many SLA members have begun their association with SLA as a student member. Fall is a peak period for students to join SLA. Fall is also the scholarship application period.

$32,000 is available annually for scholarships. Promotion is necessary to make potential applicants aware of scholarship availability. In the current review process, only 27 complete applications were received. This may be attributed in part to limited promotion through student discussion lists and announcements to chapter and division membership chairs and through LEADERS.COMmunicate.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Board Document A02-53, presented to the SLA Board of Directors June, 2002, from the SLA Scholarship Committee 2001-2002 recommended that the Board of Directors have developed a package of promotional material that would be appropriate for students contemplating enrollment in library school.

Such a packet could be sent both to the library schools and to existing student groups each year. Students who intend to complete their work within one year must apply for an SLA scholarship the October previous to admission to library school (almost one full year) so it is important to make SLA membership and scholarship information available prior to entering library school.

FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT:

Option 1. Total project cost is $11,500 which is not budgeted for 2003.

Option 2. Total project cost is $3,000 which is not budgeted for 2003.

Prepared by: Linda Broussard and Diana Gonzales

Reviewed by: Lynn Smith