SHEILA CATES SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE
JOB DESCRIPTION AND GUIDELINES

DATE:  August 6, 2000/October 2, 2000

NAME: Coby Johnson

TITLE:  

VISION:  For the committee to have enough in ever-growing interest and endowment principal to be able to support all scholarship requests and to put on the best, most fun fundraiser every year.

MISSION STATEMENT:  

The mission of the Sheila Cates Scholarship Committee is two-fold:

GOALS & OBJECTIVES: 

Goal I. To preserve the memory of Sheila Cates in Montana libraries. 

Objectives: 

  1. To promote and award a scholarship in Sheila's name (ongoing). 
  2. To submit articles concerning Sheila Cates and the scholarship to the MLA newsletter "FOCUS" every year. 
  3. To design a permanent plaque to be displayed at the Montana State Library which will list the "Cates Scholars" by the 2001 MLA meeting. 
  4. To present the scholarship winners an individual plaque naming them the "Cates Scholar" for the biennium. 
  5. To prepare and deliver a press announcement to the award winner's local and hometown newspaper as awarded. 

Goal II. To promote professional growth and development in Montana libraries. 

Objectives: 

  1. To award a biennial scholarship for a Masters in Library and/or Information Science. 
  2. To consistently make MLA members aware of the scholarship (ongoing). 
  3. To develop an informational brochure concerning the Sheila Cates Scholarship for distribution to MLA membership by July 1, 2001. 
  4. To develop and maintain information on this scholarship on the MLA home page by July 2001. 

Goal III. To continue the support of the scholarship award in Sheila Cates' honor to a MLA member on a biennial basis. 

Objectives: 

  1. To review the principal funds annually and make recommendations to the best method of investing. 
  2. To review annually the distribution of the interest made on the principal fund. 
  3. To review the scholarship application form, selection criteria, selection procedures, and brochure on a biennial basis starting with 1999 and continuing every even numbered year. 
  4. To maintain accurate records concerning the Cates Scholarship and fundraising activities and to provide the Cates and Alexander families with an annual report. 
  5. To plan and execute at least one annual fund raising event. 
  6. To continue to increase the principal money in the scholarship account (ongoing). 
  7. To review the goals and objectives of the committee at the spring meeting every year. 
  8. To review and maintain information about the scholarship on the MLA home page every year.

TIMELINE:  

June 30 Budget to MLA President 

July "FOCUS" article for August issue 

September "FOCUS" article for October issue 

Fall meeting Review scholarship funds investment, determine fundraising activity, space and time needs, provide those needs to conference planning committee, review MLA handbook Cates Scholarship Committee information 

November 1 Scholarship application available 

November "FOCUS" article for December issue 

January "FOCUS" article for February issue 

February 15 Scholarship application deadline 

February 16-18 Copies of applications distributed to committee members 

February 19-28 Committee review scholarship applications 

March 1 Committee rating sheets to chair 

March 15 Scholarship winner decision made, recipient notified, committee notified 

March "FOCUS" article for April issue 

April 1 Notify MLA President and Awards and Honors Committee that award will be given 
Plaques ready for MLA conference 

April 15 Nameplate for plaques ready 

MLA conference Present annual report, Award scholarship, Hold fundraiser 

Spring meeting Fundraiser review, review mission, goals and timelines 

May "FOCUS" article on scholarship recipient and fundraiser for June issue 

July 1 Completed informational brochure on the Sheila Cates Scholarship 

July Completed and updated Cates Scholarship section on MLA home page

JOB DESCRIPTION:  

Prepare and present budget to MLA President 
Attend Board meetings at request of MLA President 
Present investment changes to the MLA Board for approval and inform the MLA President of recipient of the Cates scholarship Schedule minimum 3 meetings -- Fall, Spring and MLA conference -- for the year 
Make sure the Committee is filled in concert with MLA President 
Inform new committee members of committee mission and goals 
Keep committee on task 
Solicit ideas for an annual fundraising event 
Prepare and present annual report to Conference Board meeting

COMMITTEE ROSTER: 

Coby Johnson, Chair
Lois Fitzpatrick
Diane Gunderson
Bridgett Johnson
Liz Preston
Marilyn Trosper
Ann Walters

BUDGET:  

Printing/Postage $50.00 
Travel $1150.00 
Subtotal $1200.00
Scholarship $2000.00 
Total $3200.00

HISTORY: 

In 1993 Montana libraries lost a great librarian and friend. Sheila Cates was a wonderful librarian and a fantastic person. Many librarians in the state knew and worked with Sheila on many different committees and with her different positions in libraries in Montana. Sheila Cates was the best example of what a librarian should be. She loved people, information, and helping people. She began her library career in 1969 as a school librarian in Lawton, Oklahoma. She served as a library consultant in Wisconsin in 1977, and in 1981 came to Montana to the position of Library Media Specialist. In 1985 Sheila became the Library Development Coordinator at the Montana State Library. She held this position until her death from cancer in 1993.

In 1994 to honor Sheila's memory, MLA instituted the Sheila Cates Scholarship to provide financial support to MLA members seeking graduate degrees in library and /or information science. Each year the Cates Scholarship Committee raises money to support this scholarship and to also increase the endowment. The original goal was to raise $20,000 by 2000. That goal was accomplished in 1999. At that time the Committee looked seriously at its missions and goals and decided to increase the scholarship amount from $500 awarded annually to $2000 awarded biennially. The Committee also decided to continue raising money for the endowment with the purpose of providing a second $2000 scholarship at some time in the future. Annual fundraising events generally occur during MLA conference and have included silent and live auctions, bingo, bowling, wine and dessert reception and Sumo wrestling. Although the fundraising events have the serious purpose of supporting the Cates Scholarship, the Committee strives to make the events fun. As a result the Cates Committee may have more fun than any other MLA committee.

PROBLEM AREAS: