Scholarship program
Are you employed in a Victorian public library? Do you have an area of interest or an idea to explore that is relevant to the future of the library profession? If so, the Margery C Ramsay or Barrett Reid Scholarship may hold the key to the next stage in your career.
The Margery C Ramsay and Barrett Reid Scholarships empower library professionals to develop bold ideas that enhance services, address community needs and contribute to the future of libraries in meaningful ways.
Valued at up to $20,000 each, these scholarships offer support through funding, mentorship and opportunities for professional growth – empowering you to lead innovative projects, explore creative solutions and collaborate with sector peers to create lasting benefits for your communities and the library sector more broadly.
The Barrett Reid and Margery C Ramsay Scholarships are more than funding opportunities; they are professional development journeys designed to elevate individuals, the profession and the communities that libraries serve.
For more information, contact PublicLibraries@slv.vic.gov.au.
About Margery C Ramsay and Barrett Reid
Margery C Ramsay
Margery C Ramsay was a trailblazer, a visionary and a driving force in the world of libraries. In the 1940s, she was the first qualified librarian appointed to a public library service in country Victoria and went on to transform Ballarat Library, joining it to of one of Victoria’s first regional library services. In the 1950s, Margery led municipal library services in Tasmania, returning to Victoria in the 1960s as Principal of the Library Training School. She served as State Library Victoria’s Deputy-Principal Librarian in 1969,and Principal Librarian from 1974-1981. More than just a name, Margery C Ramsay was an innovator and leader in public libraries.
Barrett Reid
Barrett Reid AM was executive officer of the State Libraryʼs Public Libraries Divisions from 1967 to 1982. He was a strong advocate of public library services, and by the time he retired, 207 of Victoriaʼs 211 local councils provided library services. Barrettʼs influence was also seen in the Victorian Governmentʼs policy of joint-use libraries between local government and schools. Technilib, the cataloguing services agency, was another of his achievements. Barrett was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1983. As well as a librarian, Barrett Reid was a poet, editor and arts critic.
Read about the recent recipients of the Barrett Reid Scholarship and the Margery C Ramsay Scholarship and their projects.