134.155 Librarians of color program. 

    Subdivision 1.    Definition.  For purposes of this 
 section, "people of color" means permanent United States 
 residents who are African-American, American Indian or Alaskan 
 native, Asian or Pacific Islander, or Hispanic. 

    Subd. 2.    Grants.  The commissioner of children, 
 families, and learning, in consultation with the multicultural 
 advisory committee established in section 126.82, shall award 
 grants for professional development programs to recruit and 
 educate people of color in the field of library science or 
 information management.  Grant applicants must be a public 
 library jurisdiction with a growing minority population working 
 in collaboration with an accredited institution of higher 
 education with a library education program. 

    Subd. 3.    Program requirements.  (a) A grant recipient 
 shall recruit people of color to be library staff in public 
 libraries and provide support in linking program participants 
 with jobs in the recipient's library jurisdiction. 

    (b) A grant recipient shall establish an advisory council 
 composed of representatives of communities of color. 

    (c) A grant recipient, with the assistance of the advisory 
 council, may recruit high school students, undergraduate 
 students or other persons; support them through the higher 
 education application and admission process; advise them while 
 enrolled; and link them with support resources in the college or 
 university and the community.  

    (d) A grant recipient shall award stipends to people of 
 color enrolled in a library education program to help cover the 
 costs of tuition, student fees, supplies, and books.  Stipend 
 awards must be based upon a student's financial need and 
 students must apply for any additional financial aid for which 
 they are eligible to supplement this program.  No more than ten 
 percent of the grant may be used for costs of administering the 
 program.  Students must agree to work in the grantee library 
 jurisdiction for at least two years after graduation if the 
 student acquires a master's degree and at least three years 
 after graduation if the student acquires both a bachelor's and a 
 master's degree while participating in the program.  If no 
 full-time position is available in the library jurisdiction, the 
 student may fulfill the work requirement in another Minnesota 
 library.  

    (e) The commissioner of children, families, and learning 
 shall consider the following criteria in awarding grants:  

    (1) whether the program is likely to increase the 
 recruitment and retention of persons of color in librarianship; 

    (2) whether grant recipients will establish or have a 
 mentoring program for persons of color; and 

    (3) whether grant recipients will provide a library 
 internship for persons of color while participating in this 
 program.  

    HIST: 1994 c 647 art 10 s 1; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 10 s 1; art 16 s 
 13; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 8 s 1,2