Established in 2006, in memory of Linda Walge, an avid Delaware library supporter, the Linda Walge Penman Scholarship is a program available to both high school juniors and seniors across Delaware. The Linda Walge Penman Scholarship is designed to encourage the development of future librarians and young authors, and to bring awareness of the varied opportunities in the fields of librarianship and writing. The winning student receives the opportunity to attend the annual Delaware Library Association Conference.

Who is eligible: Any high school junior or senior attending school in Delaware with career aspirations in librarianship and/or writing.

Requirements: The Linda Walge Penman Scholarship requires applicants to submit an essay which demonstates the ability to formulate a well-structured, convincing argument highlighting their interests in the field(s) of librarianship and/or writng. The essay should be 500-750 words. This essay, along with a completed scholarship application and one teacher's letter of recommendation, must be submitted to the Delaware Library Association's Scholarship Chair by February 1. The writing of this essay must be entirely the student's own work. Essays must be typed or word-processed; no hand-written essay will be accepted. Use standard, unlined, white 8.5" x 11" paper, a universal font (such as Times New Roman), and a 12-14 pica font. Include the student's name and contact information in the header of each essay page, and double-space the body of the essay.

The Award: Aside from the academic benefits that the Linda Walge Penman Scholarship offers, the fundamental purpose of this program is to provide a medium for aspiring librarians and authors to gain a pratical knowledge of the current issues and challenges of their chosen career. To this purpose, the fees and luncheon costs for participation in the annual Delaware Library Association Conference will be paid on behalf of the winning student. This does not include transportation costs.

If you have any questions regarding this scholarship opportunity, please contact the Delware Library Association Scholarship Chair.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to the Linda Walge Penman Scholarship Fund, please make your checks payable to the "Delaware Library Association." Mail these to the attention of the "DLA Treasurer" at Post Office Box 816, Dover, DE 19901.