Travel Scholarship Nomination 2012

 

VALA Travel ScholarshipsEvery two years VALA offers up to two Travel Scholarships to enable suitable persons to travel overseas to examine aspects of library automation. Candidates proposing to study newer technologies of potential application in Australia but not yet seen here are most likely to be successful. No formal qualifications are required. Although candidates should be working in library or information related areas, they need not be employed in traditional library environments.

The successful candidates will receive up to AUD $13,000 towards travel, accommodation and living expenses. Successful candidates must complete their study by 30 June 2013, and will be offered the opportunity of presenting a paper at the 17th VALA Biennial National Conference in February 2014.

Closing date for nominations: Friday 2 November 2012.

To obtain guidelines and nomination forms, you can:

  1. print off the VALA Travel Scholarship guidelines;
  2. e-mail vala@vala.org.au;
  3. call our office on (03) 9725 2725;

The VALA web site provides details on all our Travel Scholars. Travel Scholarship papers that are presented at the VALA Biennial Conference are identified on the VALA web site with the VALA Travel Scholar icon.

About the Travel Scholarship

In 2017 the VALA Travel Scholarship was replaced with the VALA Diversity Scholarship. The general principle of this new award is to encourage and enable attendance at an event by people who are not normally well-represented at that event and/or in the industry, due to disadvantage of one kind or another.

VALA – Libraries, Technology and the Future Inc. has awarded biennial scholarships for individuals to undertake international travel to explore developments in the application of information technology in libraries and information services. The scholarship was awarded to members of the library and information community to assist in meeting expenses for travel overseas.

Successful candidates were invited to present at the VALA Biennial Conference in Melbourne.

VALA Travel Scholarships

Previous Winners

  • 2014 Ingrid Mason – Intersect Australia, NSW
  • 2012 Warren Cheetham – City Libraries Townsville
  • 2010 Tristan Badham – RMIT University
  • 2008 Kathryn Greenhill – Murdoch University
  • 2006 Ellen Forsyth – State Library of New South Wales
  • 2004 Anna Raunik – State Library of Queensland
  • 2002 Terena Solomons – Hollywood Private Hospital, WA and Stephen O’Brien – Hunter Institute of TAFE NSW
  • 2000 Amanda Magnussen – IP Australia Library, ACT and Phillipa Webb – Northern Territory Library and Information Service
  • 1998 Vincent Galante – La Trobe University, Vic and Lesley Carman Brown – Curtin University, WA
  • 1996 Andrew Treloar (Vic) and David Wells (WA)
  • 1994 Terry Foster (NT) and Bob Pymm (ACT)
  • 1992 Craig Anderson (Vic) and Jennifer Durran (Vic)
  • 1990 Joanna Richardson (Qld) and June Anderson (Vic)

Click here for further details about VALA Travel Scholarship recipients. Travel Scholarship papers that are presented at the VALA Biennial Conference are identified on the VALA web site with the VALA Travel Scholar icon.

Travel Scholarship Nomination

Introduction

VALA Travel Scholarships

Every two years, VALA – Libraries, Technology and the Future Inc. awards its biennial scholarships of up to $13,000 AUD, for individuals to undertake international travel to explore developments in the application of information technology in libraries and information services. These scholarships are awarded to members of the library and information community to assist in meeting expenses for travel overseas. Leading edge research into new and emerging technologies not yet implemented in Australia and of relevance to the library and information services community will be highly regarded.

Examination of general library automation, particularly pertaining to systems currently available in Australia, is unlikely to be funded. Successful candidates will be invited to present at the VALA Biennial Conference in Melbourne in February 2016.

Nominations are now closed for the 2014 VALA Travel Scholarship.

Eligibility

Candidates should be currently working in a library or information service or related area. There are no formal qualifications required and it is expected that some applications will be received from candidates who are not working in traditional library environments or with traditional library qualifications.

In general, an award will not be made for the purpose of pursuing formal overseas courses of study. An award is also unlikely to be made where an award from another granting body has been received by the candidate. Prior recipients of a VALA Travel Scholarship are not eligible to apply.

Terms

An amount not exceeding $13,000 AUD (including any GST costs) will be made to each successful candidate to fund travel, accommodation and living expenses, including costs to attend the VALA Biennial Conference in 2016. The scholarship must be taken up by 30 June 2015, unless a specific variation in this condition has been included at the time of the award.

The successful candidate(s) will:

  1. Submit a summary of all relevant activities undertaken while travelling with the support of the VALA Travel Scholarship within three months of the scholarship’s completion.
  2. Provide a detailed account of all expenses incurred, and all available supporting receipts.
  3. Present at the VALA2016 Conference, based on his/her research, experiences and observations gained with the support of the VALA Scholarship.
  4. Seek prior approval of the VALA Committee for any presentations prior to the VALA2016 Conference.
  5. Make due acknowledgement of VALA’s support in any publications describing work which has been wholly or partially supported by the VALA Travel Scholarship.
  6. Lodge a copy of any publications with the VALA Committee for access by members of VALA.

Application

Applications must be received by Friday 5 December 2014 via the VALA Travel Scholarship 2014 Application Form.

If necessary, additional supporting documentation can be mailed to:

VALA – Libraries, Technology and the Future Inc.
P O Box 443
Warrandyte Victoria 3113

Closing Date

The closing date is Friday 5 December 2014. Late entries cannot be accepted. Successful recipients will be advised prior to end December 2014 and formal announcement made in January 2015. Candidates are required to nominate a person able to provide an independent assessment of the application.

Applications must be accompanied by a preliminary travel timetable. Support documentation such as copies of correspondence confirming interview arrangements with key people, should be included with the application.

Selection

Selection of the successful candidate(s) will be made by a Travel Scholarship Committee appointed by the VALA Committee.

VALA reserves the right not to award a scholarship in any year.

Notice in writing shall be forwarded to each applicant, as to whether such candidate has been successful or not, and, in the case of a successful candidate, giving details of the value and terms of the award and any conditions.

Forfeiture of Scholarships

The unpaid balance of any scholarship may at the absolute discretion of the VALA Committee be forfeited in the following cases:

  1. Death of the scholar.
  2. In the event of a scholar not fulfilling any conditions which may be attached to the terms of his or her scholarship.
  3. In the event of a scholar for any reason whatever being prevented from continuing his or her travel.
  4. In the event that the scholar does not utilise the scholarship within 7 months of its award.

General

The VALA Committee reserves the right to amend these rules and conditions from time to time as it in its absolute discretion thinks fit, provided however that any such amendment shall not in any way affect any scholarships already awarded pursuant to these rules and regulations.

The VALA Committee reserves the right to appoint agents to assist in the carrying out of all or any of its functions relating to the scholarship.

No member of the VALA Travel Scholarship Committee shall be eligible for a VALA Travel Scholarship.