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Awards & Scholarships

SCELC invests in the success of its member community through scholarships and other community award funding.

Conference Travel Award

Twice a year, SCELC awards funding in the form of reimbursements to librarians and staff at SCELC Member institutions in order to enable in-person conference attendance by covering registration fees, lodging and transportation. All are welcome to apply, but we especially invite early-career staff and will grant preference towards applications from institutions with smaller library budgets. 

Criteria for Awards

The following criteria are used by the PPDC to grant awards:

  • Applicant is currently employed as professional or support staff at a SCELC member library.
    • Conference needs to be attended while applicant is currently employed at a SCELC member library.
  • Conference is library-related, which is broadly interpreted to include such conferences as EDUCAUSE, the California Rare Book School, or user group conferences.
  • Preference will be granted towards applicants from SCELC Member institutions with smaller library budgets.
  • Personal statement effectively articulates how the applicant and the applicant’s library will benefit from attendance at the specified conference, for example:
    • Benefits of the conference are described in relation to applicant’s current position and/or future career goals
    • Practical application of skills and knowledge to be gained at the conference and how it would impact day-to-day job
    • Professional impact (e.g. skill development to improve job performance, opportunity to share scholarship, etc.)
    • Institutional impact (e.g. enhancement to services, alignment with institutional mission and goals, etc.)
    • Clear demonstration of conference benefits to the individual and their institution are articulated
  • Letter of support describes a strong impact for both the applicant and the institution, including:
    • Practical application of skills and knowledge to be gained at the conference
    • Development of skills and knowledge relevant to the applicant’s current position and/or career goals
    • Relationship of the conference to the institution’s values, goals, mission, vision or priorities

Applications will reviewed using a rubric designed by the PPDC. The rubric is available for reference here.

 

Acceptable Costs for Conference Travel Awards

When utilizing SCELC Conference Travel Awards, it is important to adhere to the following guidelines  on reimbursable expenses:

  • Transportation: Airfare, train tickets, rental cars, rideshares, mileage, and public transportation costs directly related to conference travel are reimbursable. 
  • Accommodation: Hotel stays for the awardee(s) at the conference venue or nearby accommodations at or under federal rates are eligible for reimbursement. 
  • Meals: Reasonable meal expenses at or under federal rates incurred during the conference dates are reimbursable. 
  • Registration Fees: Conference registration fees, including pre-conference workshops and sessions, as specified in the Criteria for Awards, are covered.
  • Miscellaneous: Necessary expenses such as parking fees, internet access required for conference participation, and business-related phone calls are reimbursable. 

Award recipients are expected to adhere to their institutional guidelines for travel reimbursement. In lieu of institutional guidelines, please consult the federal reimbursement rates or contact SCELC for guidance on limitations and requests for accommodations for special circumstances.

 

Application Timeline

  • Applications are accepted twice annually:
    • Fall conferences: applications due in summer
    • Spring conferences: applications due in the winter
  • Awards are granted for all in-person conference expenses within the current SCELC fiscal year (July - June)
  • Applicants will be notified of award decisions by one month after application deadline, unless otherwise stated by PPDC members or SCELC Staff
  • Award decisions-- including the number of accepted applications and authorized reimbursement amounts-- are made at the discretion of SCELC's available budget

Reimbursement

Awards will be disbursed as reimbursements. Receipts are required for reimbursement.

Requests for reimbursement must occur within the same fiscal year as the award. SCELC will reimburse awardee directly or the awardee’s library. Reimbursement can only be sent to the account that made the original payment.

To submit a reimbursement request, please download and complete the Conference Travel Award Reimbursement Form. Email the completed form with accompanying receipts to officemanager@scelc.org. Reimbursements cannot be processed without receipts.

If you have any questions about the application process or your submitted application, please contact PPDC liaison, Eric Chao.