To date, the Spectrum Scholarship Program has funded 1,240 master's degree candidates and 18 doctoral fellows.
Success through Community
- 99% of Scholars have graduated, or are currently still pursuing a master’s degree in library and information science
- 72% of Spectrum Scholars are the first in their families to obtain a master’s degree
- 80% of graduates are currently employed in a library and information science setting
- 70% indicate their position provides library services to traditionally underserved populations on a daily or weekly basis
Based on a 2012 comprehensive survey of Spectrum alumni by Dr. Nicole A. Cooke and E. Chisato Uyeki, 54% of the alumni community responded.
2020 Spectrum Scholarship Program Highlights
This report includes a brief overview of the program, data on Scholars' location and choice of LIS program, and selected leadership profiles. Read the full report.
Spectrum Presidential Initiative Stewardship Report
This report highlights the accomplishments of the Spectrum Presidential Fundraising Initiative.Through this $1 million campaign, launched in June 2009 and ending June 2012, more than 1,700 generous donors contributed more than $1.23 million towards making a master’s degree in library and information science more accessible and affordable for talented individuals who have made the library profession a career choice. This accomplishment is the result of generous support by ALA members, Spectrum alumni, library school students, ALA leadership, ALA divisions, round tables, friends of libraries and librarians. As we look towards the future, our plan is to seek out new support to increase professional development opportunities to retain Spectrum alumni within the profession, to expand our recruitment efforts at the undergraduate and high school level, and to cultivate LIS faculty needed to matriculate more master’s students from underrepresented groups. Read the full report.
Bridging Boundaries to Create a New Workforce: A Survey of Spectrum Scholarship Recipients, 1998-2003
Findings represented here are based on a voluntary survey distributed in electronic and print formats in May 2004 to the first six Spectrum cohorts, years 1998 to 2003. 64% of recipients completed the eighty-nine question survey. Survey construction and evaluation were guided by the following question: If the American Library Association provides scholarships for students from racially and ethnically underrepresented groups to attend ALA-accredited master’s programs or National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) library media programs, will the number of library professionals of color increase because this financial support offers a sufficient motivator for students to complete their LIS programs? While the primary hypothesis of this survey focuses on whether the Spectrum Scholarship Program creates an influx of librarians of color, the survey also analyzes data regarding respondent demographics including race, disability and citizenship; development of interest in librarianship as a career; factors contributing to academic program selection; post-graduation employment and salary status; professional activity; and respondents’ evaluation of the strengths, weaknesses, and overall effectiveness of the Spectrum Scholarship Program. Prepared by Dr. Loriene Roy, Principal Investigator and Glendora Johnson-Cooper, Cynthia Tysick, Daisy Waters with assistance from Jorge Chavez, Kara Huggard, and Antony Cherian.
Spectrum Mapped
Spectrum Scholar place of residence at time of application (1997-2019)
Click the arrow on the upper left to toggle between "Legend" and "Details." Click on any circle to view a count of Scholars residing in that place at the time of their application to the program.