Butler Youth Services Scholarship

Butler Youth Services Scholarship for Underrepresented Groups in the Field of Library and Information Science  

This $15,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student seeking to earn an MLIS with a focus in children’s services for public or school libraries. Preference will be given to graduates of a Dominican University undergraduate program who are from a background underrepresented in the field of library science. This competitive award will consider merit, academic excellence, leadership qualities, and the desire and disposition to work with young people as part of the applicant selection process.

Award Frequency

The scholarship will be awarded to one student each academic year for their 36 credit hour course of study to total $15,000. Scholarship to be paid on a per-course basis. Please note that eligibility for a student loan may be affected by the amount of the scholarship award. Discuss specifics with the Dominican University Office of Financial Aid.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a Butler Scholarship, applicants must:

  • Be a citizen of the United States or have active DACA status
  • Identify as American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino or other racial or ethnic group underrepresented in the field of library and information science
  • Be accepted or have conditional acceptance to the Dominican University School of Information Studies
Butler Scholar Responsibility

Butler Youth Services Scholars are required to:

  • Complete the master’s degree in library and information science from Dominican University’s SOIS program within two calendar years of continuing enrollment
  • Maintain a course load of 6 courses per calendar year (3 Fall/3 Spring or 2 Fall/2 Spring/2 Summer) and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA (Failure to register for this course load will result in the forfeiture of remaining funds.)
  • Work closely with academic advisors on course selections with the goal of completing a Certificate in Youth Services or school library licensure as part of their degree
  • Participate in an evaluation meeting with a faculty advisor and BCLC curator each semester
  • Participate in Butler Center activities, including, but not limited to the Annual Butler Lecture, Book Sale, and continuing education events 
  • Produce a relevant project or complete an independent study using BCLC resources to be presented at a BCLC event or state/national professional conference. Academic work to be completed under the advisement of the Curator and a member of SOIS children’s services faculty 
  • After successful degree completion, act as a mentor for future Butler Scholarship recipients

Failure to fulfill these responsibilities will result in forfeiture of the remaining scholarship funds.

Application Instructions
  • Complete a Butler Youth Services Scholarship application form (pdf opens in new window).
  • Submit a 500-word essay detailing your reason for pursing library services to children and young adults, your experience with literacy and library services, and your thoughts on how your work within the profession can influence all the children you will serve.
  • Email application and essay to BCLC Curator Jennifer Clemons with Butler Scholarship Application in the subject line. 

Applicants making it to second round of review will be invited to participate in an in-person or virtual interview with the selection committee.

Contact Information

Jennifer Clemons, Curator
Butler Children's Literature Center
School of Information Studies | Dominican University
7900 W. Division St., River Forest, IL 60305
Phone (708) 524-6861 | jclemons@dom.edu

Notification

The scholarship recipient will be notified by email. The names of the recipients will be announced on the Butler Children’s Literature Center website. Decisions made by the selection committee are final. The committee reserves the right not to award the scholarship if none of the applicants meets the requirements of the award.

Deadline

The application window for the Fall 2025 award will open Spring 2025.