Palmer School Receives $236,575 from IMLS to Train Rare Book Librarians

August 12, 2004 - The Institution of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the federal agency that supports museums and libraries, has awarded $236,575 to the Palmer School of Library and Information Science of Long Island University to strengthen its concentration in Rare Books and Special Collections Librarianship, which is unique in the nation. Students who complete the program earn their Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (M.S.L.I.S.) with a concentration in Rare Books and Special Collections. This grant is part of the 2004 IMLS program of over $14.7 million to recruit and educate new librarians to help offset a looming national shortage.

The funds will be used over a three-year period to increase courses in rare books and special collections, and to provide scholarships for students.  A portion of scholarship funds will be used for students whose interests focus on unrepresented subject areas among special collections.  Funding will also be available for students who already hold the Ph.D. and also for those having a wide range of subject interests and backgrounds.  Scholarships will be available beginning with the Spring semester, 2005.

“The Palmer School, accredited by the American Library Association, is uniquely situated to undertake this program by virtue of its having a Manhattan location among the extraordinarily rich special collection/rare book repositories in the New York City region,” said Dr. Deirdre Stam, Director of the Palmer Schools Rare Books and Special Collections concentration.  Related Palmer offerings include an Advanced Certificate program in Archives and Records Management.

Inquiries about the Rare Book and Special Collections Concentration should be directed to the Coordinator, Professor Deirdre C. Stam, Palmer School, Bobst Library, NYU, 70 Washington Square South #707, New York, NY 10012.  For more information, e-mail Deirdre.Stam@liu.edu or call (212) 998-2681 or visit the Palmer School web page at www.palmer.cwpost.liu.edu.