The 2027 Associates Program

2027 Program Highlghts

• Seminars and workshops introduce participants to current issues, trends, and innovative practices in the library and information field. Library experts share their perspectives, expertise, and practical experience.
• Visits to a variety of libraries and organizations, including academic, public, and school libraries, as well as other sites of professional interest.
• International professional networking with a dynamic cohort of library and information professionals during and after the program.
• Individual action planning that allows participants to develop practical strategies suited to their professional, institutional, and community needs.
• Post-program implementation review to support participants as they apply what they have learned.
• Certificate of Program Participation awarded upon successful completion of the program.
• Scheduling allows participants to attend the Annual Meeting of the American Library Association (ALA), if they wish.
• Visit 2027 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition will be in New Orleans, June 24 – June 28, 2027. Arrangements and registration for the conference must be made separately and are not included in the program costs.

Program Dates

Program activities will begin on 31 May 2027. The last day of program activities will be 23 June 2027.

20 November 2026: Application Deadline

Applications are due: 20 November 2026.

7 January 2027: Notification of Application Status

All applicants will be notified of application status by 7 January 2027 (end of business CST). Applicants accepted to the Mortenson Center Associates Program must send a non-refundable $USD 200.00 deposit by 29 January 2027 in order to hold their place in the program. Payment instructions will be provided upon acceptance or after 7 January 2027.

29 January 2027: Deposit Payment Due

$200 USD Deposit Due (all deposit payments are non-refundable)

1 April 2027: Remaining Balance Payment Due

Application Information (Submission open September 2026)

Application Requirements

Applications must be completed and submitted in English through the online application form. All required supporting documents must be uploaded as part of the application.

Applicants should note the following:

• Applicants must secure adequate funding to support their participation in the Mortenson Center Associates Program.
• The program is conducted in English. Participants should be comfortable communicating in conversational English and have sufficient reading proficiency to participate fully in program activities.

Application Form

Applications for the 2027 Mortenson Center Associates Program open September 2026. We welcome applications from eligible library and information professionals worldwide.

Questions about the program or application process may be directed to mortenson@illinois.edu.

Applications open September 2026

The online application form for the 2027 Mortenson Center Associates Program will be available here in September 2026.

Program Costs

Program Costs

The cost for the 2027 Mortenson Associates Program TBA.

Program costs are paid prior to the program’s start date and include:

• Housing (student-style accommodations while on campus and hotel accommodations while on out-of-town excursions)
• Partial meals
• Local transportation
• Programming costs
• Speaker fees
• Medical insurance
• Other materials and logistics

The program cost does not include visa application, airfare and/or ground transportation costs to and from Champaign-Urbana. These arrangements must be funded and arranged by individual participants.

Applicants accepted by the Mortenson Center must send a $200 USD deposit in order to hold their place in the program. This non-refundable deposit will be deducted from your program fees.

Payment Deadlines

• 30 January 2027 – $200 USD – Deposit Due (all deposit payments are non-refundable)
• 1 April 2027 – Remaining Balance Due

Payment instructions will be provided to participants upon notification of acceptance, on or after 7 January 2027.