About

The Mortenson Center Associates Program is the signature program of the Mortenson Center for Internationally Library Programs at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library. Originally, it was a two-month, on-site, professional development program. Today, it is 3.5 weeks, still offered at the University of Illinois, and typically hosts 14-25 librarians from around the world. It offers individuals working in a library setting outside the United States an opportunity to explore current issues and trends in the library field and to engage with librarians implementing cutting-edge programs and services. More than 1,300 librarians from 90 countries have attended.

The 2015 Cohort Experience in video (produced by Rebecca McGuire).

2017 Mortenson Center Associates Program
May 24-June 20, 2017.  Theme: Building Sustainable Libraries

The 2017 Mortenson Center Associates Program offers individuals working in a library setting outside the United States an opportunity to explore current issues and trends in the library field and to engage with librarians implementing cutting-edge programs and services.

Ten library and information professional make up the 2017 cohort, representing 7 countries: Costa Rica, India, Jamaica, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, and South Korea.  Read who they are from their profiles and learn about their experiences and insights from their blog posts.

Program participants learn about novel and inventive practices and services in areas such as:

  • Leadership and communication
  • Digital and print collections
  • Information Technology
  • Marketing and advocacy
  • International and professional networking
  • Innovation and community outreach
  • United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals

2017 Program Highlights

  • Seminars and Workshops which provide an overview of current trends in the field. Library experts will be invited to share their perspectives, offer expertise, and foster conversations on the themes of communication and leadership.
  • Tours of a variety of libraries, including academic, public, and school libraries. We may also visit the American Library association headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, and other sites of interest.
  • Networking with dynamic group of international colleagues during and post-program.
  • Participants will develop individual actions plans, appropriate to their professional and institutional needs, and will receive post-program implementation review.
  • Each participant will receive a Certificate of Program Participation upon completion.
  • Scheduling to allow participants to attend the Annual Meeting of the American Library Association (ALA), if they wish. (Arrangements and registration for the conference must be made separately and are not included in program costs.)

Past Mortenson Associates Programs

Learn about the 2011-16 cohorts: http://cms.library.illinois.edu/export/mortenson/activities/OldPrograms.html