FCIL Schaffer Grant

FCIL SCHAFFER GRANT FOR FOREIGN LAW LIBRARIANS

The purpose of the FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians is to provide financial assistance to ensure the presence and participation of a foreign librarian at the AALL Annual Meeting & Conference. Foreign attendees enrich AALL events by sharing global perspectives for the benefit of all participants.

The FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians for the 2025 AALL Annual Meeting & Conference to be held July 19-22, 2025, in Portland, Oregon, provides the following support:

1. A waiver of the AALL Annual Meeting & Conference full registration fee.
2. A grant of a maximum US $3,000 to assist with accommodations and travel costs.

Note: The FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians recipient will be responsible for supplementing the FCIL Schaffer Grant funds with other sources if necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS

An applicant must be a law librarian or a professional working in the legal information field, who is currently employed in a country other than the United States. An applicant must be in a position of significant responsibility for the dissemination, preservation, and/or organization of legal information. An applicant may be from any type of law library (public, law firm, corporate, academic, court, etc.). An applicant who would not otherwise have the opportunity to attend the AALL Annual Meeting is invited and encouraged to apply. Applicants must have sufficient English proficiency to fully participate in the conference (both listening and speaking) without an interpreter.

The Grant Committee will not consider applications from individuals who have previously received the FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The Grant Committee will evaluate an application based on the foreign law librarian’s ability to add to our knowledge of law, legal information, and law librarianship from a foreign perspective. The Grant Committee may give preference to an applicant from an under-represented country or region to someone who demonstrates financial need, or to an applicant who has never attended an AALL Annual Meeting

To ensure diversity, the Grant Committee will endeavor not to select recipients from the same country as FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians recipients of the previous three years.

GRANT RECIPIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

At the conference, the FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians recipient will be expected to share his or her knowledge and experience with other law librarians by making a presentation, participating in a panel discussion, or taking questions from the audience at an FCIL-sponsored meeting or event. After the conference, the FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians recipient agrees to write a short article or report (1-2 pages in length) for the Fall 2025 issue of the FCIL-SIS newsletter. The recipient is welcome to propose alternate or additional means of sharing his or her knowledge.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

To be considered for the FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians, please submit an application and a résumé of your professional qualifications. The Application should be filled out as completely as possible. Simultaneous electronic submission of a completed Application and résumé is preferred but not required.

• Schaffer Grant Application (Word)
• Schaffer Grant Application (PDF)

All documents should be in English and should be sent together (electronically or traditional mail) by February 4, 2024, to the FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians Selection Committee Chair:

Joseph Hinger (Chair)
Director of Global Legal Content Initiatives
Law Library Microform Consortium
9201 E. Bloomington Freeway Suite LL
Bloomington, MN 55420
651.994.2007
josephh@llmc-digital.org

DEADLINE

The Chair of the Selection Committee must receive all applications by 11:59 p.m. (CST) on February 4, 2024. The Selection Committee will not consider late or incomplete applications.

TIMING OF GRANT DISBURSEMENT

It is the recipient’s responsibility to pay for all upfront costs associated with attending the 2025 Annual Meeting, such as visa fees and airfare, and to plan for these expenses accordingly. Airfare and visa fees will be reimbursed promptly prior to the Annual Meeting & Conference with submission of actual receipts.

AALL will make the recipient’s hotel reservation once the recipient completes the housing form and submits it to Kim Rundle, AALL leadership services coordinator. AALL will use the FCIL Schaffer Grant funds to pay for the recipient’s hotel room and associated taxes/fees only. Recipient is responsible for any additional expenses incurred during his/her stay at the hotel including mini bar and entertainment expenses, etc. Additional expenses incidental to attending the AALL Annual Meeting & Conference such as cab fares and meals will be reimbursed promptly following the AALL Conference and in accordance with AALL and FCIL-SIS guidelines; the total amount of all expenses shall not exceed the annual cap on Schaffer Grant disbursements of $3000 USD.

NOTIFICATION

The Selection Committee will notify the FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians recipient and other applicants of its award decision by April 1, 2024. The Selection Committee also may post a general announcement in AALL publications and listservs.

The FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians recipient will receive a formal letter of invitation to the conference from the American Association of Law Libraries. However, it is the recipient’s responsibility to obtain a United States visa for travel to and from the conference. Since the process of obtaining a United States visa is very slow, the recipient is urged to submit their visa application as soon as possible after receiving written confirmation of selection. If circumstances prevent the recipient from attending the AALL Annual Meeting, the grant will revert to the FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians Committee for disposition at the discretion of the Committee.

Past Recipients of the FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians

FCIL-SIS GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS OF MANY DONORS!

Despite valuable support from AALL, FCIL, vendors, and individual AALL members, the Grant Fund does not fully cover the cost of transportation, lodging, and food for grant recipients. Your tax-deductible donations can keep this valuable Grant alive. Read what past recipients have to say about the Grant and their experiences at the AALL Annual Meeting. Contributions should be sent directly to AALL. To contribute, visit the “Donate” portion of the AALL website and contribute online, or fill out and send in the form from the AALL website. Make your check payable to “AALL” or “American Association of Law Libraries;” please write “Schaffer Grant” in the “For”/”Note” portion of the check. Checks together with completed forms may be mailed to:

AALL
230 West Monroe Street, Suite 2650
Chicago, IL 60606

AALL is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, and these contributions may be tax-deductible.

FCIL SCHAFFER GRANT FOR FOREIGN LAW LIBRARIANS SELECTION COMMITTEE