Welcome to Project IDOL

Project IDOL, which runs through September 2016, is a collaboration between the Wayne State University School of Library and Information Science and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Library Alliance. WSU SLIS and the HBCU Library Alliance have received funding from the IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program to increase the diversity of the library profession.

In this 3-year project, the two partner organizations are recruiting, mentoring, and providing an online Master of Library and Information Science degree to 10 students from historically underrepresented groups in order to achieve greater diversity among practicing library professionals. SLIS is overseeing the entire project and delivering the educational component with its online MLIS format. The HBCU Library Alliance is leading the mentoring component and assisting with student recruitment.

The project aims to demonstrate that an online MLIS, combined with student mentorship by library professionals who have senior level experience and prior mentorship training, is an effective means to increase the diversity of the library profession.

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