PaLA MLS/MLIS Scholarships, Tuition Discounts & Continuing Education Grants

PaLA offers scholarships for PaLA personal members, who are MLS students and complete at least three credits at an ALA- accredited school during the course of the scholarship year, to apply for scholarship support.

PaLA members also get discounted rates with Drexel University, and are eligible for Continuing Education Grants.

MLS/MLIS Scholarships (deadline May 15)

For 2024, two (2) Pennsylvania Library Association MLIS Scholarship are available to Pennsylvania Library Association individual members who are seeking a Masters degree in the Library Science field that will earn them professional status. This $2,000 award requires that at least three credits must be completed toward the degree during the scholarship year.

ELIGIBILITY:

• Pursuing (or intend to pursue) an ALA-accredited Masters program in the Library Science field
• Live or work in Pennsylvania
• Be a current PaLA personal member
• Have not received a PaLA scholarship to attend graduate school OR it has been more than three (3) years since you received one
• At least three (3) credits must be completed toward the degree during the scholarship year

Verification of enrollment in an ALA accredited graduate program and three references are required (see linked form below). Recommendations should be submitted on or before May 15. All items must be submitted thru SurveyMonkey!

• MLS Scholarship Recommendation Form (Three recommendations are required)
• MLS/MLIS Online application thru SurveyMonkey 

For the online application, you will need to have the following handy. PREVIEW the application as a pdf before you begin work on the survey.

1. Your contact info
2. Your current employer info
3. Your PaLA involvement history
4. The names of those who will submit a letter of recommendation (Three (3) are required)
5. For current graduate students: upload most recent unofficial transcript for graduate work.  For those just starting a program, upload final undergraduate transcript AND verification of admission to graduate program. 
6. Your personal essay (of no more than 500 words): The personal essay is a statement that should relate to the following factors:

• Scholarship
• Motivation
• Library Experience
• Basis of Need
• Service to community & profession

Find a list of past MLS/MLIS Scholarship winners.

Tuition Discounts for PaLA Members

Online Degree and Certificate Programs are offered at a discounted rate through Drexel University. For more information, visit the Drexel website. Not a member? Join now!

PaLA Annual Conference Scholarships

Grants to attend the PaLA Annual Conference are awarded annually. These scholarships are underwritten by conference sponsors. 

ALA Emerging Leaders Program
Applications for the American Library Association Emerging Leaders 2025 cohort are now being accepted.
ALA Emerging Leader webpage

PaLA will ask the selected participant to serve the Pennsylvania Library Association at the state or chapter level. Only members of Pennsylvania Library Association will be considered for sponsorship.