As part of the university’s successful Carnegie Community Engagement Classification application process, the Office of Research and Engagement has compiled a list of fifty of UT’s best community-campus partnerships. The university will be celebrating its status as an engaged institution throughout the year by featuring these individual examples in articles that highlight their unique contribution to the community.
Rural Libraries Professionals Program
Information Technology Rural Librarian Master’s Scholarship Program (ITRL) and ITRL2 recruit and train rural library professionals working in the Southern and Central Appalachian regions. Participating students earn their master’s degree through the School of Information Sciences synchronous distance education program.
Related Story: Information is Power in Rural Librarianship Program: “We recognize that these areas traditionally were getting left behind in terms of access,” said Bharat Mehra. Rural communities and students “are unique and need to be looked at in a positive way. They have the will and drive but just need the opportunities and skills to take it further.”