The Illinois Library Association Awards Inclusive Travel Grant for National Conferences

May 1, 2024

The Illinois Library Association (ILA) has announced the recipient of the 2024/2025 ILA Inclusive Travel Grant for National Conferences. This $2,000 grant is designed to support the attendance of Illinois librarians and library staff from underrepresented populations in librarianship at a national conference of their choosing.

The recipient of this grant is Gissely Herrera, currently serving as the Circulation Supervisor and Adult Services/Makerspace Assistant at the North Riverside Public Library District in North Riverside, IL.

Herrera’s director voiced support for the application, stating, “As one of our hardest workers, I am more than thrilled to have the opportunity to tell you that I fully support her attending a national conference to learn more about the library field and expand her network.”

Herrera plans to use the grant to attend the 2024 American Library Association Conference & Exhibition.

Eligible recipients include librarians and library staff from populations that have faced structural barriers to national participation, including those eligible for ALA’s Spectrum Scholarships (those who identify as American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern/North African, and/or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander); people with disabilities; people who identify as LGBTQUIA+; and rural librarians or library staff.

The grants are intended to make the library field more accessible to all, via direct support to our colleagues. Grants are awarded in rounds depending on available funding and conference dates.

For more information, visit www.ila.org/inclusivetravelgrants.

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