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PSLA Professional Devlopment Award

Thursday, 13 August 2009 09:52

The Follett Professional Development Award is an annual award presented to a school library media specialist as a grant-in-aid for any use that might improve his/her service to the school library media profession.

Section I: Requirements:

A. Applicant must be:

A PSLA member for at least the past three years and currently working in the school library media field in one of
the following two areas:

  1. building or district level
  2. library education (must be a PSLA member for the past (four years)

B. Applicants:

  • May apply for up to $1,000.00, but consideration will be given to proposals in lesser amounts.
  • Who fail to meet all the requirements of this award will be required to return grant funds to PSLA.
  • Applications must be received by February 1st. Please mail or electronically send applications to the chair of the professional development committee.

C. Applicants must agree to share the results of his/her participation by one of the following methods:

  • Writing an article suitable for publication in a PSLA journal.
  • Making a presentation or conducting a workshop at an annual PSLA conference.
  • Producing a non-print product such as a videotape, a computer program, or a multi-media presentation.
  • Producing a printed product.

D. Suggested Professional Development Activities:

  • National and International Conferences: (Examples: AASL Conference, National Literacy Conferences, International Children's Literature Conference, or technology conferences)
  • Institutes and Workshops: (Examples: ALSC's Pre Conference on Multicultural Literature; Educational Institutes; ALA or AASL Pre-Conferences)
  • Study Tours: (To earn Graduate Credit-Examples: Children's Literature Tours; Study tours of Educational Institutions and Libraries which include school libraries)
  • Study Groups: (Established local and regional groups to study an issue relating to school library media field, possibly integration of library media skills, performance- based education, or other cooperative efforts)
    Continuing Professional Education Course Work: (Examples: Graduate courses on technology, leadership skills, or new theories in education)
  • Internships: (Examples PDE; U.S.O.E.; Smithsonian, or industry)
  • Research: (Examples: Any topic relating to the school library media field)
  • Others: (If you have an interesting idea, discuss it with the Professional Department Award Committee for consideration before you submit your application)

 

E. Applications will be judged by using the rating scale indicated in Section II.

  • Abstract 25 points
  • Objectives 25 points
  • Action Plan 15 points
  • Budget 5 points
  • Evaluation Plan 10 points
  • Dissemination 20 points
  • Each section will be judged in completeness and relevancy to the objectives.

Section II: Applicaton:

The application may not be longer than four typed, double-spaced pages and must provide the required information in the sequence indicated below:
(applications that do not include all required items will be disqualified)

A. Cover Page (Page 1)

  1. Title of proposal
  2. Name of applicant
  3. Address and phone number of applicant
  4. Working status (position, title, school, district)
  5. Number of years a member of PSLA
  6. List of any honors, awards, or other professional recognition you have received

 

B.· Abstract & Objectives (Page 2)

  • Abstract: (25 points) Indicate in 150 words or less what the main focus of the application is, how it will benefit you and how the product produced could impact the school library media field.
  •   Objectives: (25 points) Identify from one to three objectives that you plan to address. The objectives should clearly define what will be created, revised, or accomplished as a result of your participation in this application.

 

C.· Action Plan and Budget (Page 3)

  •  Action Plan: (15 points) List the major steps that will be taken to meet the objectives, including a timeline which indicates when work will begin and end.
  •  Budet: (5 points) List the major expense categories and indicate the amount to be allocated to each line. Acceptable expenditures include the following: travel, tuition, secretarial services, computer hardware and software, desktop publishing costs, video tapes, floppy discs, office supplies, lodging, subsistence, and conference registration fees. Applicants are reminded that the budget will be evaluated on how necessary the line items are to the achievement of the stated objectives. If the budget exceeds the $1,000 award, the sources of the additional funding must be identified.

 

D. Evaluation and Dissemination (Page 4)

  • Evaluation: (10 points) The application must include a plan which identifies bow the achievement of each objective will be measured.
  • Dissemination: (20 points) The application must identify what products will be produced and what strategies will be used to share the results, findings, and/or products with PSLA members.