SLA is committed to the advancement of students within the special libraries and information community. The SLA Scholarship Fund serves to support the association's scholarship program in assisting students to further their study in the field of special librarianship. The program consists of awards for graduate study leading to a Master's degree or Ph.D. and for post-M.L.S. study. While the association awards $30,000 annually, the SLA Scholarship Fund is underfunded in relation to its potential.

The SLA Scholarship Fund is a restricted fund in that the principle balance must remain intact and all withdrawals must be related to the purpose of the scholarship program. The balance in the scholarship fund is currently $450,000. At the present time, we are barely able to retain the amount needed for present scholarships, and there has not been an increase in scholarships awards since 1996.

Given the current rates of return on the investment (which is conservatively managed) and the commitment to awarding each scholarship annually, the growth of the fund is virtually at a standstill. Without an influx of funds there is no opportunity to increase the number of scholarships nor the amount of the scholarships.

In order to increase the number of scholarships by one or the amount of the current awards by $1,000 each, we need an additional principle investment of approximately $100,000. While the association depends on the Annual Campaign, corporate partner, and foundation contributors, I am making a special appeal to all members for their tax-deductible contribution to the SLA Scholarship Fund.

To demonstrate the impact that your individual contribution could have on the fund balance, I am spearheading a special collection at the upcoming annual conference in Philadelphia. I am asking that all conference attendees contribute, at minimum, their pocket change each day (of course, paper contributions are greatly appreciated, too).

With an estimated 8,000 attendees each contributing $5.00 over the course of the conference, we would expect to collect $40,000. If we extended this special campaign over a five year period, we could contribute more than $200,000 to the bottom line of the Scholarship Fund, thus affording the opportunity to make a significant improvement to the SLA Scholarship program.

Details of how and where the loose change will be collected during the annual conference will be found in your conference registration totebag.

If you are not attending the annual conference this year and you wish to participate, you can make your tax-deductible contribution to the SLA Scholarship Fund by addressing your contribution to the attention of Elizabeth Blume, director, fund development, at 1700 Eighteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC, USA 20009-2514.

Consider the assistance the association has afforded you in your own professional development, based at least in part upon the generosity of those who came before you. Consider the investment you have made in the profession, as a career and a way of life. And do not forget the crucial role the information profession plays and will continue to play in the coming century.

On a personal note, I was an SLA scholarship recipient back in the "days of the dinosaurs." The funds I received helped me attend Case Western Reserve University. Without the scholarship I would have been unable to attend CWRU and get in on the ground floor of using computers in libraries. I am forever appreciative to those members before me who contributed to the Scholarship Fund and made my education possible.

Your support, at whatever level, is vital to the continued growth and development of the scholarship program, and you can make a difference. With deepest gratitude, thank you in advance for your contribution.