phd scholarship in library and information science

ALA Scholarship Program

The American Library Association (ALA) is committed to promoting and advancing the librarian profession. To demonstrate this commitment, the ALA and its units provide more than $300,000 annually for study in a master's degree in library and information studies from an ALA accredited program, or for a master's degree with a specialty in school librarianship that meets the ALA curriculum guidelines for a Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accredited unit.

You can apply for a variety of scholarships through the single online application hosted by the ALA Scholarship Program.

The scholarship process is open annually from September 1st - March 1st. Applications and reference forms (which must be submitted on-line) are available during that time period. Instructions and general information remain available year round.

Before starting, read the ALA Scholarship FAQ , and carefully review the requirements in each category for the scholarships to which you are applying. Then complete the online application . PLEASE NOTE: It is only necessary to complete ONE online application regardless of the number of scholarships you apply for. You may apply for as many scholarships as you are eligible for by checking the appropriate boxes on the application form.

See all scholarships Start your online application

ALA Scholarships

General scholarships.

These ALA Scholarships are open to all applicants who have applied for admission to a formal program of library and information studies leading to a master's degree.

• David H. Clift Scholarship
• Christopher Hoy Scholarship

More Information

• View all scholarships
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Scholarship Requirements at a Glance (PDF)
• Other Sources of Financial Aid Directory

If you have questions, please contact the ALA Scholarship Clearinghouse at 1-800-545-2433 ext. 4279 or [email protected] .

Scholarships by Practice Area or Specialty

These scholarships available through the ALA Scholarship Program are geared towards individuals planning to work in specific types of libraries or positions within the library.

By Library Type

• GODORT David W. Rozkuszka Scholarship (for Government Documents workers)
• Julia J. Brody Public Librarian Scholarship (Public Library Service)

Media & Technology

• Christian Larew Memorial Scholarship (Library Technology)
• The deg farrelly Memorial/Alexander Street Press AMIA/FMRT Media Librarian Scholarship (Media Collections)
• Peter Lyman Memorial/SAGE Scholarship in New Media (New Media)

Children & Youth Librarianship

• Bound to Stay Bound Books Scholarship (Children's Librarianship)
• Frederic G. MELCHER Scholarship (Children's Librarianship)
• Mary V. Gaver Scholarship (Youth Librarianship)
• Regina U. Minudri Young Adult Scholarship (Young Adult services)

Scholarships for Library Support Staff

These ALA Scholarships are geared towards individuals currently working as support staff in libraries. They include:

• Tom and Roberta Drewes Scholarship
• Miriam L. Hornback Scholarship
• Tony B. Leisner Scholarship

Scholarships for Underrepresented Groups

These ALA Scholarships are geared towards individuals from groups currently underrepresented in the library profession.

• ALA Century Scholarship (for students with disabilities)
• ALA Spectrum Scholarship (for racial and ethnic underrepresented groups)

ALA Scholarship Application Requirements

The following items are required for all scholarship applications. Be sure to check the requirements of the specific scholarship for which you are applying because you may need to mail additional documents.

• Completed online application (which includes a personal statement).
• Completed references (only references on the official online form will be accepted). Three professional references are required. Once you begin the application process, you will be asked to provide the name and email addresses of three (3) professional references. These should be people (excluding family members) who are well acquainted with your educational background, intellectual abilities, professional experience, and personal character. Each person listed will receive an email message with instructions for completing the online reference form. An application will not be considered complete unless the three references are submitted by March 1st.
• Official academic transcripts. An official transcript is required from bachelor's degree-granting institutions and any master's level work toward an ALA-accredited or NCATE approved master's in library science. Transcripts for other master's level work are not required but may be submitted for consideration. The college transcript should be submitted only once regardless of the number of scholarships you apply for. All transcripts must be received by March 1st (electronic transcripts will not be considered). They should be placed in a sealed envelope and mailed in one package along with other materials (as required by specific scholarships) to the following address: ALA Scholarship Clearinghouse, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60601.
• Personal Statement. Applicant should include a personal statement as part of the on-line application. It should consist of not more than 300 words and describe your interest and any work in your proposed field of study, including non-course educational experience, volunteer work, teaching or other relevant employment and publications. You should also indicate what specific competencies or characteristics you believe you have to offer the field of librarianship, what you can bring to the profession, and in particular what you have done which indicates your potential for leadership. Describe your career interests and goals and your commitment to library and information service.

The completed online application, personal statement, and three references must be received in the ALA Scholarship Clearinghouse by March 1st to be considered.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact the ALA Scholarship Clearinghouse at 1-800-545-2433 ext. 4279 or [email protected] .

See the Comparison of ALA Scholarship Requirements at a Glance

Factors Considered

Factors considered in making these awards include:

• academic excellence;
• leadership; and
• evidence of commitment to a career in librarianship.

Achievement in these areas may best be demonstrated by statements indicating the nature of library and other experience, by professional references, and by the personal statement included in the online application.

PLEASE NOTE: For all general scholarships you will be asked to complete only one (1) personal statement during your online application.

Does the ALA provide any scholarships for non-U.S./Canadian citizens or permanent residents?

Yes. The LITA Christian Larew Memorial Scholarship is the only scholarship that does not have a residency restriction.

Does the ALA provide any scholarships toward undergraduate work?

No. At this time, the American Library Association does not offer any scholarships for undergraduate work and there is no agency that accredits undergraduate or associates programs in library and information studies. As you continue on in your studies, however, be sure to review the ALA scholarship page in case this changes.

I have already started library school. Am I still eligible to apply for any ALA scholarships?

Yes, provided you have not completed more than 1/3rd of the credit requirements toward your degree by June 1st. For example, if your library school program is 36 credits, you should not have completed more than 12 (12 or less) credits by June 1st.

I have completed more than 12 semester hours toward my MLS/MLIS/MIS. Am I still eligible for any ALA Scholarships?

Yes. You are eligible for the following scholarships: the ALA Century Scholarship and the Spectrum Scholarship . You may click on the name for more information.

I am working toward my Ph.D. in library and information studies. Am I eligible for any ALA scholarships?

Yes. The ALA Century Scholarship can be used toward a Ph.D. or Master’s program. You may click on name for more information.

What types of degreed programs do I have to attend in order to be eligible for an ALA Scholarship?

You must attend either an ALA-Accredited MLIS program , or a Nationally Recognized NCATE-AASL Reviewed & Approved School Library Media Education Program . The specific program you choose will depend on your area of interest. The NCATE-approved program is generally for people interested in school library media programs. The ALA-accredited programs are generally for all other areas of librarianship. See the comparison list of requirements to determine which you need to attend.

What should I do if my recommender(s) did not receive the online reference form?

Send a message to Kimberly L. Redd at [email protected] with Reference Request as the subject and include the recommenders name and email address.

Quick Links

• Start the Online Application
• View all ALA Scholarships
• Financial Aid Directory (PDF)
• Historical Scholarships Database
• Support the ALA Scholarship Program

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Ph.D. in Information and Library Science

This doctoral program provides an environment that enables creative and energetic students to become innovative thinkers and leaders. Through coordination of student and faculty interests and activities, the program offers opportunities for research, teaching, and leadership in a variety of settings.

Information and library science research leaders must be able to identify problems that are significant for our future as an information society, carry out rigorous studies and draw valid conclusions from them, and communicate those findings to stakeholders who can act on them. The SILS doctoral program provides intensive, but highly flexible and customizable, preparation for careers in academia and research.

The Ph.D. in Information and Library Science is designated as a STEM program, which allows eligible international graduates to apply for a 24-month OPT extension.

After successfully defending their dissertations, SILS’ graduates have accepted positions as tenure-track faculty in information schools, research scientists in corporate and government labs, and chief information officers in a myriad of organizations and businesses. With a degree from our doctoral program, our graduates are making a difference.

• Kimberly Hirsh, 2021, Consulting Scholar-Librarian
• Sandeep Avula, 2020, Research Scientist, Amazon
• Eliot Hauser, 2020, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin
• Colin Post, 2020, Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• Jonathan Crabtree, 2020, Assistant Director of Research Data Information Systems, Odum Institute, UNC-CH
• Emily Roscoe, 2020, Adjunct Instructor, School of Government, UNC-CH
• Megan Threats, 2020, Assistant Professor, Rutgers University
• Heather Barnes, 2020, Digital Curation Librarian, Wake Forest University
• Yinglong Zhang, 2020, Research Scientist, Google
• Shenmeng Xu, 2020, Scholarly Communications Librarian, Vanderbilt University
• Sarah Beth Nelson, 2019, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin, Whitewater
• Anita Crescenzi, 2019, Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy, UNC-CH
• Kathleen Brennan, 2018, Senior Researcher, Google
• Samantha Kaplan, 2018, Research and Education Librarian, Duke University
• Ericka Patillo, 2018, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Information Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Grace Shin, 2018, Sookmyung Women’s University, Korea, Adjunct Professor at SILS.
• Leslie Thomson, 2018, Postdoctoral Fellow, UNC-CH

Other notable graduates in recent years:

• Jay Dominick, 2005 , Vice President and CIO at Princeton University
• Meredith Evans, Ph.D.  2006 , Director, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum & 74th President of the Society of American Archivists
• Meredith Weiss, 2010 , Vice President for Administration at Virginia Commonwealth University
• Fred Stutzman, 2011 , CEO, Freedom

Financial Support

SILS typically provides support for full-time doctoral students during their first five years of study. Prospective doctoral students must apply by December 10 to receive full consideration for financial aid.

Learn more from our Financial Information page.

SILS seeks PhD students who:

• Aim to be information leaders in the 21 st century.
• Are attracted to information and library science as a field that incorporates diverse theoretical perspectives and a wide range of research methods.
• Possess the discipline and will to be independent investigators, and the vision and communication skills to be influential leaders in the field.
• Are committed to a life of research and scholarly inquiry addressing critical questions.
• Enjoy intellectual challenges and demonstrate analytical and critical thinking.

Admission to the doctoral program is competitive and based upon the strength of the applicant’s educational background and standardized test scores, work experience, statement of research, and personal interview. In reviewing applicants for admission, the school will consider past academic record and scholarly potential of an applicant, as well as the match of the candidate’s research interests with those of the school’s faculty. One or more faculty must be willing to assume the advisory role for the student.

Doctoral and Special Programs Coordinator

[email protected]

Information Culture and Data Stewardship

University of Pittsburgh School of Computing and Information

• Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS)
• Master of Library and Information Science Online (MLISOnline)

PhD in Library and Information Science

• School Course Schedule
• School Course Descriptions
• University Class Search
• Enrollment Resources
• Partners Program
• Field Experience
• Accreditation

PhD students may begin their studies only in the Fall Term in order to ensure a coherent program of study.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Library and Information Science program prepares students for careers in research, education, and professional practice. The program will give students the opportunity to gain the skills in teaching or research appropriate for careers at major research universities, teaching institutions, and library systems. The candidate must give evidence of superior scholarship and mastery of a specialized field of knowledge and must demonstrate his/her ability to do significant and relevant research.

Doctoral study in this field is a challenging, life-changing experience. You will learn how to conduct independent research through projects that have the potential to change the way people interact with information and to fundamentally impact how society evolves. This program will go far beyond giving you a set of skills… it will teach you to think in a completely different way. Coursework and research programs address cutting edge issues such as evaluating information in terms of being saved for posterity; information literacy in both developed and underdeveloped countries, closing the digital divide; and how social media impacts behavior and services in the Information Age.

Requirements for the PhD degree, a 54-credit program, include a minimum of 36 course and seminar credits beyond the master’s degree and 18 dissertation credits.

The School of Computing and Information invites applications from students interested in the following areas:

• Archives and archival studies
• Data stewardship
• Digital curation
• Digital humanities
• Digital and information literacy
• Ethics of information, data, and technology
• Informatics and libraries
• Information and data interaction
• Information culture and society
• Intellectual property
• Learning paradigms in information environments
• Libraries and information services
• Open science, reproducibility & transparency
• Research data management
• Scholarly communications / digital scholarship
• Social computing and information culture

Statute of Limitations

All requirements for the PhD degree must be completed in not more than 6 calendar years from the time of first registration (or 8 calendar years for part-time students).  Students may, in extenuating circumstances, submit a formal request for extension of their statute of limitations or for a leave of absence from the program.  The request must be submitted to the advisor and then presented to the LIS Committee on Doctoral Studies for a decision.

Alumni of this program have found challenging and successful academic careers at institutions such as the University of Michigan, University of Texas at Austin, Simmons College, Texas Woman’s University, the University of Rhode Island, the University of Toronto, UPMC, Kuwait University , and more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Doctoral Admissions

Financial Assistance

Sample PhD Timeline

PhD Guidelines (University Catalog)

Dissertations