Applications are now being accepted for a travel grant, funded through the generosity of SEMLA. In recent years, MLA has helped us in this endeavor, but we decided to continue this practice with our own funds. Supporting our colleagues is clearly something SEMLA feels strongly about. The grant will support portions of travel, meeting registration, hotel, and subsistence expenses to attend SEMLA's annual meeting in Chapel Hill/Durham, North Carolina, October 23 - 25, 2003. Please note that music library paraprofessionals/support professionals and library school students are eligible for this opportunity and are encouraged to apply.

The grant may be up to $400 for one individual or be divided between two individuals at the discretion of the grant committee.

I. Applicants must reside in one of the states or territories comprising SEMLA (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and Puerto Rico), and also be in at least one of the following eligible categories:

a) A graduate library school student (by the time of the conference in October, 2003) aspiring to become a music librarian;
b) A recent graduate (within one year of degree) of a graduate program in librarianship who is seeking a professional position as a music librarian;
c) A music librarian (holding a Master of Library Science degree or qualifications granting an equivalent status at her/his employing institution, e.g. a certified archivist with other graduate degree working extensively with music materials) in the first two years of her/his professional career, or;
d) A library paraprofessional/support professional working with music materials as a significant portion of his/her job responsibilities.

Applicants in categories a-c must not have attended more than one prior SEMLA meeting before applying for the grant. This restriction does not apply to paraprofessionals/support professionals.

II. Applicants must submit the following to arrive by September 9, 2003:

1. A letter of application which includes an explanation of the reasons for attending the SEMLA annual meeting, a justification of financial need, and a budget (the double room rate in Chapel Hill, NC is $76.95 plus tax). For those applicants currently working in libraries or archives, justification of financial need must include evidence that one has sought financial support from one's employing institution to attend the meeting and that such request was either denied or insufficiently met;
2. A current résumé or vita;
3. Two letters of support. Where applicable, one of the letters should be from a current supervisor.

Award recipients who are not already members of SEMLA are expected to join prior to attending the October meeting. A membership form is available on the SEMLA web site:

http://jpl.coj.net/semla/app.html

Annual student membership in SEMLA is currently only $2.00; a regular membership is $5.00.

Hotel accommodations will be funded at the double-occupancy rate, i.e. one-half of the $76.95 plus tax mentioned in II/1, preceding.

III. Mail application and supporting materials to arrive via U.S. post or electronically by September 9, 2003 to:

Sarah Dorsey
Chair, SEMLA Travel Grant Committee
320 S. Mendenhall St. Apt. A
Greensboro, NC 27403

For more information, contact Sarah by e-mail (sbdorsey@uncg.edu) or phone (336) 334-5610, fax (336) 256-0155.

Recipients will be notified by September 16, 2002, and announced on SEMLA-L, the chapter's electronic discussion list immediately thereafter.

Please note that SEMLA may elect to pay directly for travel and hotel expenses on the recipient's behalf and only supply the balance (if any) of an award following the Chapel Hill/Durham meeting. If mileage for a personal vehicle is awarded, it will be paid at the current IRS rate of $0.325 per mile, also after the meeting.

It is our hope that this support of chapter members who are beginning their careers or whose abilities to travel to meetings are compromised by lack of institutional funding or other circumstances will assist all of us in meeting the ongoing recruitment and continuing education objectives outlined in MLA's Plan 2001.