I’ve had some people ask to see my application since I was a recipient for one of the 2012 Code4Lib diversity and minority scholarships mostly just to see what kind of information they might include since the application requirements are fairly open.
Application Outline
The following is what we were asked to submit back in 2012, so it’s a little different from this year’s, but it’s still fairly similar.
- A brief letter of interest, which:
- Describes your interest in the conference and how you intend to participate
- Discusses your statement of need
- Indicates your eligibility
- A résumé or CV
- Contact information for two professional or academic references – I had decided to provide one of each.
Application Letter
Here’s a copy of the letter that I sent:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I was very excited when the scholarship opportunities to attend the Code4Lib 2012 Conference were posted this year. While I have been interested in technology for a long time, I had a fairly limited view of how technology is being used and how it can be applied in libraries and other information organizations when I began my Master’s of Library and Information Studies (MLIS). It was not until I was a co-op (internship) student in web services that I began to see how diverse and truly important technology is to information organizations. Technology permeates every organization and no less so in libraries. During my co-op, I began to take an interest by following relevant mailing lists and taking technology related courses. In the short time I have been following the mailing list, journal, and the blog aggregate (Planet Code4Lib), they have further expanded my view of how technology intersects libraries. Most importantly, I have come to believe that one of the most important sources of information, ideas, and innovation is the sharing among technologists in the library community.
Obviously, one of the best ways to share is through a conference. Not only can people present and share ideas, but the conference also provides a platform where people can participate, discuss, and learn in person and virtually. As a student, I sometimes find it difficult to participate as I have little experience in systems and technology
implementation. Nevertheless, I believe that attending a conference will expand my knowledge, allow me to meet others with similar interest, provide networking opportunities, and teach me ways to contribute to the community.In applying to both the gender diversity and minority scholarships, I hope to have the opportunity to attend the conference as I would otherwise not have the means to do so, especially as someone in the transition from just finishing their studies and finding a job. As requested, I have also attached a resume and although it was not a
report (as I simply wrote on what I felt was interesting), I did write on the Access 2011 conference, which can be viewed at http://cynng.wordpress.com/tag/access2011/Please feel free to contact myself or the references provided in the attached resume if you have any questions. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Ng
MLIS Candidate, UBC School of Library, Archival, and Information Studies (SLAIS)
While my conference report was never published in the Code4Lib Journal, I did do a write-up for Code4Lib 2012. The scholarship was the reason why I went to my first code4lib and I’ve been returning since!
I encourage anyone who is interested to apply to one or both of the scholarships. The deadline is coming up on Friday!