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ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

  • July 20, 2001
  • CONTACT: Dave Druker
  • PHONE:  (217) 782-5984
  •                  (312) 814-3175
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  • CONTACT: Randy Nehrt
  • PHONE:  (217) 782-5984
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White Awards Library Training Grants To 15 Illinois Students

SPRINGFIELD –– Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White announced today that 15 university students in Illinois have been named recipients of 2001/2002 Illinois State Library Training Grants.

To promote quality library service throughout Illinois, the Secretary of State awards up to 15 training grants of $7,500 each to students who are enrolling in Masters degree programs in an accredited graduate library school. Recipients must be residents of Illinois, and are required to work for two years in an eligible Illinois library following graduation. Grant funding is provided to the state of Illinois from federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSAT) funds.

"Illinois is among the nation's leaders in providing financial support for the education and training of librarians and information specialists," White said. "We actively recruit individuals and provide them with training grants to obtain a Master of Library Science degree. This grant program has allowed nearly 200 students to obtain the training necessary to become librarians and information specialists. Nearly all of these recipients have remained in Illinois, and most are currently working in public libraries throughout the state.

"This program ensures that Illinois libraries will continue to be staffed with individuals who are the most well educated and most highly qualified in their field. I congratulate this year's recipients and commend them for their interest in serving the public as future librarians."

White identified this year's recipients as:

  • Debra Lynn Denslaw of Chicago, who will pursue her MLS degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign

  • Swalena Akilah Griffin of Chicago, U of I at U/C

  • Kristi Jo Howe of Bolingbrook, Dominican University

  • Lisa Rae Livesay of Wolf Lake, U of I at U/C

  • Kathleen Costello Lonbom of Normal, U of I at U/C

  • Steven A. McCann of Westfield, U of I at U/C

  • Ruth Ann Miller of Rosiclare, U of I at U/C

  • Carole S. Petro of Matteson, U of I at U/C

  • Jennifer L. Phillips-Bacher of Chicago, Dominican University

  • Nadine Annette Robertson of Normal, U of I at U/C

  • Stacy Ann Shackett of Round Lake Beach, U of I at U/C

  • Louise T. Svehla of Forest Park, U of I at U/C

  • Roseann Szalkowski of Roselle, U of I at U/C

  • Toni L. Tucker of Normal, Dominican University

  • Jennifer Venker Weidenbenner of Paxton, U of I at U/C