Are you a member of the Mountains and Plains Library Association?  If so, check out this great opportunity to get a professional development grant.  The deadline to submit individual grant requests this year is December 3, 2008.

For complete information and link to application form see http://www.mpla.us/committees/profdev/grants.html
Eligibility requirements:

• Resident of a state in the MPLA region
• Membership in MPLA (for mini grants of $150 or less the applicant must be a current member of MPLA and must have been a member for the past full calendar year; for regular grants up to $600 applicant must have been a member for the past two calendar years - total of three consecutive years.)
• Currently employed in a library, be a student accepted in an advance degree program in library science or a related discipline, or hold a position or office associated with a library such as a trustee. Grant funding will generally not be awarded to a student unless that student was previously employed in a library or related position in the MPLA region and intends to pursue his or her library career in the MPLA region.
• A past recipient of a professional development grant may not apply for another grant until three years have elapsed following the end of the calendar year in which the previous grant was approved.

Grants are awarded to support the following:

• Attendance as a participant or a presenter at a library or scholarly workshop, seminar, or conference, including the MPLA annual conference.
• Visits to another library to receive or provide significant advanced training in library services or procedures.
• Library related research projects.
• Formal course work leading to an advanced degree in library science or a related discipline.
• Formal course work not leading to an advanced degree but directly related to an individual’s library position.

If you have questions, please contact:

Judy Zelenski
MPLA Executive Secretary
mpla_execsecretary@operamail.com