Purpose
APALA’s Scholarships & Awards Committee is honored to announce we are now accepting applications for the 2023 Gayatri Singh Award. Gayatri Singh was a beloved APALA member dedicated to ensuring everyone had a seat at the table. In this same spirit, the goals of the Gayatri Singh Award are to:
- Provide an APALA member with the opportunity to enhance their engagement with equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice through professional development and financial assistance
- Encourage sustaining APALA membership and organizational participation through the opportunity to engage with professional opportunities that align with Gayatri Singh’s commitment to social justice
The APALA Gayatri Singh Award will provide one APALA member with up to $500 in funding to attend a conference, workshop, training, or other professional development opportunity of the recipient’s choosing that will further their understanding of equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice. This award may be used for a virtual or in-person activity. Award funds are not restricted and may be used by the recipient for any personal expense incurred to participate in the opportunity of their choice (registration, travel, lodging, meals, etc.), as long as appropriate receipts are provided. Registration for the professional development opportunity must occur before June 30, 2024.
To learn more about Gayatri Singh and her commitment to social justice, see her bio at the end of this award page.
Eligibility and Requirements
- Applicant must be a current APALA member.
- Students or employees, with or without an MLS or equivalent degree, working in libraries, archives, or other information organizations, are eligible to apply.
- Recipient will provide a short report reflecting on their experience for the APALA website or Newsletter.
Criteria for Selection
Award applications will be evaluated by members of the APALA Scholarship & Awards Committee. Criteria for selection includes:
- Completing each component of the online application
- Meets the above eligibility criteria
- Applicants who do not receive institutional support for professional development will be prioritized
- Strength and clarity of the applicant’s short response answers (500 words or less per question)
How to Apply
Complete the 2023-2024 APALA Gayatri Singh Award Application by Monday, November 6, 2023 at 11:59 PM PST.
Selection Procedure and Timeline
- Applications Due: November 6, 2023
- Applicants Notified of Final Decision: November 30, 2023
- Recipient Announced: December 11, 2023
- Reimbursement award check distributed to recipient via mail after registration is made and receipts are provided. While the recipient may choose the professional development opportunity, they must register before June 30, 2024.
- Recipient Report Due: one month after the chosen professional development opportunity concludes
Administrative Procedures
- The APALA Gayatri Singh Award shall be administered under the By-Laws of APALA.
- In the event that no applicants satisfy the criteria, no award will be given, with the option to grant an additional award the following year.
- An APALA member who receives any APALA grant/award may not receive another grant/award in the same year.
Contact Information
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the APALA Scholarship & Awards Committee: scholarships@apalaweb.org.
About Gayatri Singh (1977-2019)
Gayatri Singh was born on July 13, 1977, in San Diego, California, to Ramanand and Nirmala Singh and was the youngest child in a family of five. Gayatri received a BA in History with a minor in Women’s Studies from UC Irvine in 1999 before going on to earn her Master’s in Library Science from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 2002. From 2004 to 2006 she worked as a librarian at UC Irvine and UC Riverside. She then joined UC San Diego and served for 13 years as the Reference and Information Services Coordinator and the Librarian for Communication. Gayatri was involved in many national and local library associations, committees, and projects, and APALA was an organization that she was incredibly committed to and passionate about.
Gayatri joined APALA in 2009, and true to her nature, wasted no time immediately getting involved, making a difference, and embracing leadership opportunities. She began committee service as a Co-Chair of the Research and Travel Grants Committee, served in subsequent years as Co-Chair and Chair of the Scholarships and Award Committee; was the Chair of the Picture Book Subcommittee of the Literature Award Committee; and a member of the Communications and Media Committee. She actively raised visibility of South Asian Americans within our profession by co-presenting and co-authoring a book chapter in Pushing the Margins: Women of Color and Intersectionality in LIS titled “The Other Asian: Reflections of South Asian Americans in Libraryland” and presented a poster on the “The Desi Dossier.”
In her statement for election to the APALA Executive Board in 2015, she wrote: “APALA is family…I love that APALA brings us together around issues of social justice, advocacy, equity and inclusion. These are difficult topics to discuss in libraryland and I appreciate that I can always find inspiration and support from my APALA family.” At her core, Gayatri embodied those same values—she was dedicated to fighting for those who are underrepresented and to ensuring everyone had a seat at the table.
While we may all have different memories of Gayatri, one thing they all have in common is the way she built connections, shared her energy, saw the humanity in each of us, and moved through the world with kindness and compassion. She lifted people up and made each person feel seen and worthy. She was a colleague, leader, mentor, activist, and friend.