The jury recommends that the web and printed versions of each document be exactly the same and that the information in the application form be absolutely consistent with the information in the reference form. For example, the criteria and ranking alternatives at the "Spectrum Initiative: Scholarship Applicant Criteria" web page (http://www.ala.org/spectrum/app_criteria.html) should be, but are not, the same as the criteria and ranking alternatives at the "Reference Form" web page (http://www.ala.org/work/awards/refform.html).

2.

The jury recommends, to make the evaluator's qualifications be more obvious, that the reference provider's affiliation (for example, school or business) and relationship (for example, teacher, librarian, or colleague) be required on both the application and reference forms.

3.

The jury recommends that, to obtain a more complete response, the applicant be required either to attach a sheet that details experience or to attach a resume.

4.

Tribal Affiliation_________________ Roll number (or other verification)___________________.

5.

The jury recommends that information required for a single scholarship should not be include in the general Scholarship Program Application form. Specifically, the jury recommends that financial need information for the EBSCO/NMRT scholarship be requested on a separate sheet.

6.

The jury recommends that, to obtain more useful references, less emphasis in the reference form be placed on checking off ratings and more on open-ended questions.

7.

The jury recommends that parts of the instructions in the reference form be moved to where they are applicable. For example, the jury recommends that the instruction to check the rating sheet be placed immediately above the rating grid.

8.

The jury recommends that, to obtain more useful references, instead of asking for "comments," substitute the instruction to "give your opinion of the applicant's competence, promise, ability to do graduate study, and potential for leadership."

9.

The jury recommends that information required for a single scholarship not be included in the general Scholarship Program Reference Form. Specifically, the jury recommends that the valuations required for the LITA scholarships be addressed on a separate sheet.

10.

The jury recommends that relevant Spectrum general instructions, criteria, mission, personal statement instructions be available as a single document to which the applicant and reference provider can refer.

11.

Many applicants wrote general personal statements that did not address the Spectrum Initiative statement criteria. The jury recommends that these criteria be featured more prominently. Three possibilities are (1) to list the criteria on a specific Spectrum Initiative application form, (2) to require the applicant to provide the statement on a sheet that lists the criteria, or (3) to have a checklist for completing the application that includes a reminder to address the criteria: "Does your personal statement explicitly address your experience in a multi-ethnic society?"

12.

Although the applicants should continue to be asked about their life/work/educational experience relative to a multiethnic society, the jury recommends that the personal statement not be limited to addressing that single issue as it was this year.

13.

Since the main Spectrum Initiative mission is to recruit people from underrepresented minorities to the library profession, the jury recommends that the applicants also be asked to address in the personal statement why they want to be in the library profession.

14.

The jury recommends that all applicants be required to present a personal statement tailored to the scholarship. This recommendation does not preclude applications for specific scholarships such as the LITA scholarships from having an additional requirement of providing a web site or video as appropriate.

15.

The jury recommends that, in order to be fair to all applicants, the instructions to the applicant include explicitly the specific criteria on which the statement will be evaluated.

16.

Personal Statement: Please provide a written statement of about 250 words that addresses why you want to be a librarian and how your life, work, and educational experiences will help you be a good librarian in a multi-ethnic society. Please include specific examples of these experiences.

17.

The jury also recommends that the ranking criteria be explicitly provided to the applicant and the reference provider. For example, the applicant should know whether specificity of examples is to be graded.

18.

The jury also recommends that, to maximize the usefulness of the references, the criteria used by the reference providers be similar to those used by the jury.

19.

The jury recommends an additional ranking criterion: Additional or exceptional skills and experiences that add value to the candidate's potential to provide delivery of information services in a diverse society.

20.

b. Substance, significance, and specificity of life, work, and educational experiences relevant to becoming a good librarian in a multi-ethnic society

21.

The jury recommends that the ranking sheet include specific instructions about whether to add the scores of the top three for each applicant or to use another formula to deal with the different number of references?

22.

Since written expression is only one of fourteen characteristics that reference providers rank, the jury recommends that less weight on the ranking sheet be given to the personal statement. The current weight is 70 percent of the total; the jury recommends that the weight of the personal statement be no more than 50 percent.

23.

Since a written statement is given much weight, the jury recommends that how well the personal statement is written be ranked.

24.

The current "overall presentation" category emphasizes following directions and being neat and accurate. The jury recommends that these characteristics receive less emphasis, and creativity, special talent, and unique perspective receive more emphasis.

25.

The jury also recommends that academic performance -grade-point average, degrees, awards - be ranked.

26.

The jury recommends that the reference forms also receive more emphasis if the content of the form is improved as suggested above.

27.

28.

The jury recommends that the weight of the references be increased only if more emphasis is placed on open-ended questions, such as "give your opinion of the applicant's competence, promise, ability to do graduate study, and potential for leadership."