NCCU SLIS was just awarded a grant from IMLS for nearly $440,000 for a project entitled "Library as Place: North Carolina Central University Diversity Scholars." Combined with over $316,000 in contributions from North Carolina Central University, the total project costs exceed $750,000.

The grant will allow the NCCU School of Library and Information Science to partner with public and school library systems from five counties in central North Carolina to recruit up to 20 minority students to earn master’s degrees in library and information science. Partners include Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center, Hyconeechee Regional Library, Durham County Library, the Public Schools of Robeson County, and Wake County Public Libraries. Scholarships will allow the students to research themes in public and school libraries while earning their degrees. Students will be expected to return to their libraries of origin or to public and school library systems in North Carolina upon graduation.

Further information on NCCU's program is available at http://www.nccuslis.org/imls/faq.htm.

The announcement of this and other IMLS grants may be found at http://www.imls.gov/news/2006/062806_list.shtm.