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June 26, 2008

CONTACT:
Paulita Chartier
225-342-9713
pchartier@state.lib.la.us

The grant is designed to help address the coming shortage of library professionals due to retirements. Hamilton explained, "One of our top priorities is training the next generation of librarians to lead the public libraries. This grant will meet one of the goals of our strategic plan."

Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu said, "I am very proud of Rebecca and our State Library team. This grant is further proof that the State Library is leading the way in training our future library leaders." Landrieu's office in the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism oversees the State Library.

Through daylong workshops and a weeklong institute, the State Library will increase knowledge of best practices, as well as management and supervision principles for public library staff and library school students.

The grant will be a three year project. In the first phase, a facilitator will help State Library staff and selected directors from a variety of public libraries to map out the training needs of Louisiana's future library leaders. Phase 2 will be a series of one-day workshops held around the state on various library management topics, and will be aimed at new or potential library administrators. In the third phase, a week-long intensive institute on library leadership will be held for 30 carefully-selected participants. The final phase will consist of a one-day meeting for all participants to come back together and meet the original planning group. A facilitator will lead a review of participants' progress, and what worked and what did not work during each phase of the project.

IMLS awarded 30 other institutions grants totaling $20.3 million as part of the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program. This year's grantees will provide educational opportunities to library students and staff to strengthen Gulf Coast libraries; support school library media programs; increase the number of librarians, archivists, and library and information science professors; increase diversity in the library workforce; and strengthen that workforce to better meet the needs of users of all types of libraries.

"Since the program began in 2003, the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program has awarded more than $100 million to recruit and train the next generation of librarians. Whether working in public schools, colleges, or local public libraries, librarians are essential contributors toward student and community success," said Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Ph.D., IMLS Director.

First Lady Laura Bush announced the President's multimillion dollar support of an initiative to help bolster the library profession in 2002. Since then, IMLS has helped fund the education of 3,220 master's degree students, 186 doctoral students, 1,256 pre-professional students, and 26,186 continuing education students.