FCIL Schaffer Grant

FCIL SCHAFFER GRANT FOR FOREIGN LAW LIBRARIANS

** UPDATE! DEADLINE FOR SCHAFFER GRANT APPLICATIONS HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO MARCH 8, 2026! **

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 American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) Annual Meeting & Conference. International attendees enrich AALL events by sharing global perspectives for the benefit of all participants.

The FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians for the 2027 AALL Annual Meeting & Conference to be held July 17-20, 2027, in in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, provides the following support:

1. A waiver of the AALL Annual Meeting & Conference full registration fee.
2. A grant of a maximum of USD $4000 to assist with travel, accommodation, and other approved costs (meals, local transportation, etc.).

NOTE: The FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians recipient is responsible for supplementing the FCIL Schaffer Grant funds with other resources if the total expense amount exceeds the grant amount.

ELIGIBILITY

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.) or legal information organization. Applicants who would not otherwise have the opportunity to attend the AALL Annual Meeting & Conference are 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 FCIL-SIS Schaffer Grant Selection Committee will not consider applications from individuals who have previously received the FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The FCIL-SIS Schaffer Grant Selection Committee will evaluate applications based on the foreign law librarian’s ability to add to American law librarians’ knowledge of law, legal information, and law librarianship from a foreign perspective. Preference may be given to an applicant from an historically AALL under-represented country or region who demonstrates financial need, or to an applicant who has never attended an AALL Annual Meeting & Conference.

To foster greater diversity, equity, and inclusion, the FCIL-SIS Schaffer Grant Selection Committee actively seeks to select recipients from different countries, ensuring a broader representation by not repeating countries chosen in the past three years.

GRANT RECIPIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

At the conference, the FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians recipients will share their 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 1-2 pages (750 words) article or report for the Fall 2026 issue of the FCIL-SIS newsletter. The recipient is welcome to propose alternate or additional means of sharing their 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 by traditional mail) by 11:59 p.m. (CST) on March 8, 2026, to the Committee Chair of the FCIL-SIS Schaffer Grant Selection Committee:

Joseph Hinger (Chair)
Director of Collection Management and Member Relations
LLMC
8011 34th Ave. S. Suite 245
Minneapolis, MN 55425
612.445.9235
joseph@llmc.com

DEADLINE

All applications MUST be received by 11:59 p.m. (CST) on March 8, 2026. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered.

TIMING OF GRANT DISBURSEMENT

It is the recipient’s responsibility to pay for all upfront costs associated with attending the 2027 Annual Meeting & Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, such as visa fees and airfare, and to plan for these expenses accordingly. Airfare and visa fees, and any other travel related, and incidental expenses will be reimbursed promptly after the Annual Meeting & Conference with submission of actual receipts. Expenses incurred in a currency other than US Dollars must include proof of exchange rates on the date incurred.

AALL will make the recipient’s hotel reservation at a Conference-sponsored hotel upon receiving arrival and departure dates to the conference city. Only hotel charges and associated taxes/fees will be billed directly to AALL, and the final total amount will be considered part of the Schaffer Grant amount of USD $4000. The Schaffer Grant recipient is responsible for any additional expenses (i.e., entertainment, laundry, etc.) which are NOT covered by the grant. The maximum number of hotel days permitted will be determined prior to the Conference and communicated to the Schaffer Grant recipient. All additional expenses incidental to attending the AALL Annual Meeting & Conference (local transportation, meals, etc.) will be reimbursed promptly following the AALL Meeting & Conference 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 USD $4000.

NOTIFICATION

The Selection Committee will notify the FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians recipient and other applicants of its award decision by April 15, 2026. The Selection Committee reserves the right to post a general announcement in AALL publications, listservs, homepages, and any other AALL communications formats.

To assist with the United States visa application, the FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians recipient will receive a formal letter of invitation to the Annual Meeting & Conference from the AALL. It is the recipient’s responsibility to obtain a United States visa for travel to and from the United States. Since the process of obtaining a United States visa may take a long time, the grant recipient is urged to request an appointment at a US Embassy and 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 & Conference, the grant will revert to the FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians Selection 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