VCU Libraries invites students to apply for funding to attend the American Library Association Convention in 2025.

Deadline for applications is March 10, 2025. First, second and third-year undergraduates and first-year graduate students are eligible to apply. The application form is online.  

The recipient will receive funding to attend the American Library Association Annual Conference in Philadelphia, June 26- June 30, 2025. At the ALA conference, the student will be paired with a librarian mentor from VCU Libraries, attend literary award ceremonies, tour exhibits and attend author and publisher sessions. As part of this honor, the student also will receive an associate membership in ALA, the nation’s most significant professional organization for librarians.

The ALA awards the United States’ most respected prizes in children’s literature including Newbery, Caldecott and the Coretta Scott King Awards. Medalists and honorees, authors and illustrators of the year’s honored books for children and young adults appear at talks, signings and at other gala events during the conference–which will provide the VCU student a rich experience in exploring a panorama of literature for young people.   

Funding for a VCU student to attend the conference is provided by the Leila Christenbury Literacy Fund along with support from the Friends of the VCU Libraries. The Leila Christenbury Literacy Fund was established in 2007 with gifts from Leila Christenbury, Commonwealth Professor Emerita in the VCU School of Education. Well-known in national education circles, Christenbury taught English Education at VCU for 32 years, serving as professor, department chair and interim dean.

Regarding her gift, Christenbury said: “Literacy is the key to a productive and satisfying life, and it has been my privilege to create a fund which can be used in a wide variety of ways to support its acquisition and strengthening,” Christenbury said. “In particular, in my career teaching at VCU I have used children’s and young adult literature as an important gateway to literacy, and being able to further the education and training of those who create this literature is a pleasure.”  

“The experience of a national professional convention is invaluable, and I am pleased to be able to fund this student’s participation,” Christenbury said.

To make a gift to the fund, search for Leila Christenbury Fund on this secure page.