ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell University Library (CUL) is seeking talented minority high school students from Tompkins County to participate in its inaugural Library Junior Fellows Program. Six to eight students will be selected for the paid summer program, which runs from July 1st through Aug. 9th. Deadline for applications is May 10.

Junior fellows are required to work 24 hours a week on specific projects and receive on-the-job training through workshops in information literacy, and technology and research skills. They can practice those new skills on their very own refurbished computer, given to them -- for keeps -- as part of their job. In addition Junior Library Fellows will receive career counseling. The library also provides a Cornell Dining Pass for the first week of employment and a TCAT Summer Fun bus pass.

"Many high school students never consider working in a library because it's not what's considered as 'cool,' but it's a great feeling to have access to almost any kind of knowledge," said Ira Revels, Librarian for Educational Technologies in Olin Library who initiated the program. "Quite often, once they understand that they can potentially know anything they want to know and that there's exciting new technology to access that information, the idea starts to have appeal."

Revels wasn't thinking in terms of a library career when she was a graduate student in educational technologies at Northwestern State University in Louisiana. But once she realized the opportunities offered in the field she shifted course and won a scholarship in library sciences at University of Pittsburgh.

CUL representatives will attend Ithaca High School's Career Day Fair on May 1 to field questions and promote the program. For more information, contact Susan Markowitz sem2@cornell.edu at 255-5181 or Ira Revels ir33@cornell.edu at 255-2845.

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