The Public Library Staff Education Program (PLSEP) provides tuition reimbursement and mentorship opportunities to support California public library workers pursuing a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree. The program is administered by the Southern California Library Cooperative (SCLC) in partnership with the California State Library.

Applications are now open! Please review the application materials before submitting your application.

• PLSEP Online Application
• Application Questions (PDF Document)
• Application Scoring Rubric
• Register for the November 9 Information Session

Important Dates

Applications Open: Monday, November 2, 2026

Virtual Information Session: Monday, November 9, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.

Application Deadline: Friday, November 20, 2026, at 12:00 noon (Pacific Time)

All applications must be submitted by the deadline to be considered for funding.

Eligibility and Application Requirements

Applicants must be employed by a California public library and enrolled in an American Library Association (ALA)-accredited library and information science master's degree program.

Applicants will be asked to provide information about their library employment, academic program, anticipated graduation date, coursework, and tuition expenses. Proof of enrollment and an essay response are also required.

Mentorship Opportunities

In addition to tuition reimbursement, PLSEP offers mentorship opportunities connecting participants with experienced library professionals. Applicants may indicate their interest in participating in the mentorship program. Interest in mentorship does not affect tuition reimbursement application scores.