The Rita Torres / Bibliotecas Para La Gente Scholarship 

Scholarship Application period is now close.

Bibliotecas Para La Gente (BPLG) provides up to $3,000 for scholarships for a new or a continuing  Masters of Library and Information Graduate Student who has demonstrated an interest in furthering the goals of BPLG in providing library service to the Spanish-speaking and Latino communities.

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Eligibility Requirements:

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Application Requirements:

Additional Requirements:

Scholarship Distribution Details : First disbursement of $1,500 will be given upon receipt of Spring/ Summer Grades ( mid August) and final disbursement of $1,500 will be given upon receipt of Fall grades (late December). Or a full distribution of $3,000 if completing the program in Spring or Summer of the same year. 

About Rita Torres

Rita Torres was employed in 1976 as the first bilingual/bicultural librarian to head the Biblioteca Latinoamericana, a federally funded project that provided a full spectrum of Spanish language library service to the greater San Jose community. Spanish language library services were Rita’s passion and she worked with her staff and colleagues to provide Reference services, reader’s advisory, and children’s services for Spanish speaking library customers. Leaving the Biblioteca Latinoamericana, Rita moved on to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library as head of the newly created Foreign Languages Department and became the lead for the Collection Development team that grew collections to represent 80+languages. Throughout her career Rita has been a friend and mentor to the members of the community, and to the library assistants and librarians who learned and worked alongside her providing services to the Spanish speaking community. As a young professional Rita Torres joined Bibliotecas Para La Gente and volunteered with BPLG throughout her career. It is in honor of her commitment and work that the BPLG scholarship is named in her honor.