Gail Schlachter:
Biographical Information

UPDATE
The votes are in, and Gail was elected to serve on the ALA Council from 2012-2015!
To read more about her platform, visit www.facebook.com/GailSchlachterForALACouncil
To learn about her background and experience, read below...

Driven by a passion to identify information needs and to create resources as well as procedures to meet those needs, Dr. Gail A. Schlachter has worked for more than three decades in the library and information fields as a library administrator, a library educator, an author of library-oriented reference works, and (most recently) a publisher of both print and electronic materials. During her career, Gail has been elected several times to the governing councils of the American Library Association and the California Library Association, has served as the president of the American Library Association's Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), and was selected first as the reference review editor and then as the editor-in-chief of Reference and User Services Quarterly, RUSA's official reference-oriented journal.

In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field of reference librarianship, Gail has been awarded the Isadore Gilbert Mudge Award, honored with the Louis Shores Award, named the "Distinguished Alumna of the Year" by the University of Wisconsin's School of Library and Information Studies, and received numerous honors for her publications, including Choice's "Outstanding Academic Title of the Year Award," Library Journal's "Best Reference Book of the Year Award," School Library Journal's "Best Reference Book of the Year," National Education and Information Center Advisory Committee's "Best of the Best" award, and the Knowledge Industry Publication's "Award for the Best Book in Library Literature" (now sponsored by ABC-CLIO and Greenwood).

Gail first became interested in the financial aid field back in 1978, and what started as a casual interest has, over the years, become her career commitment. Gail established Reference Service Press with one goal in mind: to insure that those in need will be able to access the most comprehensive and current financial aid information available. That goal drives every decision at Reference Service Press--and it's what makes the company today "the premier provider of financial aid information in the country."

EDUCATION WORK EXPERIENCE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AWARDS RECEIVED AWARDS FUNDED (To date, Gail has awarded more than $150,000 to 50+ library school students & librarians) PUBLICATIONS (Books, Articles/Papers, Electronic Products, & Editorships)

EDUCATION Ph.D., Library Science. Library School, University of Minnesota, 1971. (Minors: Statistics; Higher Education). Dissertation: "Librarians' Attitudes toward Unions, Quasi-Unions, and Professional Organizations") M.P.A., Public Administration. School of Public Administration, University of Southern California, 1976. (Specialization: Program evaluation) M.A., Library Science. Library School, University of Wisconsin, 1967 Joint M.A.:     American Colonial History. History Department, University of Wisconsin, 1966. Thesis: "The Navigation Act of 1673"     Education, School of Education, University of Wisconsin, 1966. Thesis: "Treatment of Minorities in High School History Textbooks" B.A. University of California, Berkeley, 1964. (Majors: Social Sciences and History. Minor: French). Senior Thesis: "Ambrose Bierce: Philosopher or Misanthrope?"   WORK EXPERIENCE President, Reference Service Press, 1985-  . Responsible for the editorial quality, operational efficiency, and strategic development of Reference Service Press, a successful niche company specializing solely in the development of print and electronic sources of financial aid information for special needs groups, specific levels of education, selected majors, etc. Visiting Professor, San Jose School of Library and Information Science, 1991- . Responsible for teaching various courses on reference and information studies to students working on their master's degree in library and information studies. Vice President/General Manager, ABC-CLIO, 1983-1985. Under the direction of the president, responsible for the editorial quality and operational efficiency of a general library-oriented book publishing company with 100 employees at three locations in the United States and England. Vice President/Books, ABC-CLIO, 1982-1983. Under the direction of the vice president/general manager, responsible for the editorial quality and operational efficiency of the books' division, which produced library-oriented monographs, reference works, and serials. Director, Serials, ABC-CLIO, 1981-1982. Under the direction of the vice president for books, responsible for the editorial quality and operational efficiency of the serials division, which produced several library-oriented subscription services, including Historical Abstracts, America: History and Life, and ABC Pol Sci. Assistant University Librarian, Public Services, University of California, Davis, 1976-1981. Under the direction of the university librarian, responsible for managing the staff and operations of the public service units at an Association of Research Libraries-member library, including circulation, general reference, social sciences/humanities reference, biological science reference, physical science branch, agricultural economics branch, government documents, interlibrary loan, and the circulating art collection. Head, Social Science Department, Library, California State University, Long Beach, 1974-1976. Under the direction of the assistant university librarian, responsible for managing the staff and operations of the largest department within the library, including reference work, collection development, and bibliographic instruction/outreach. Assistant Professor, Library School, University of Southern California, 1971-1974, Among the courses taught: statistical analysis, research methodologies, library service and philosophy, and general and specialized reference. Head, John R. Commons Labor Relations Reference Center/Social Sciences Department Library, University of Wisconsin, 1967-1968. Working with the director of the Industrial Relations Research Institute and the chair of the Economics Department, provided reference service and maintained the John R. Commons archives, the labor relations materials, and the library serving the Social Science departments at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.   PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES American Library Association Councilor at Large, ALA Council Co-Convener, ALA Council Forum Chair, ALA Publishing Committee Member, ALA Council, Committee on Committees RUSA Division Councilor, ALA Council Chair, American Libraries Advisory Committee Member, ALA Membership Committee Member, Council Resolutions Committee Chair, LLAMA Publications Committee President, RASD (now RUSA) Editor, Reference and Users Services Quarterly (RUSQ) Reference Book Review Editor, RQ (now RUSQ) Director-at-Large, RUSA Board of Directors Member, RUSA Planning and Finance Executive Board Member, Independent Librarians Exchange Round Table Treasurer, Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table Member, Intellectual Freedom Round Table Member, Public Library Association Member, Association of College and Research Libraries Offices Held in State & Regional Associations President, Chapter of Academic and Research Librarians (CARL) Representative-at-Large, Assembly, California Library Association Chair, Professional Standards Committee, California Library Association Chair, Librarians/Publishers/Vendors Committee, California Library Association Chair, Awards and Scholarships Committee, California Library Association Director, Board of Directors, Credo Reference Founding Member, California Gold: The Sacramento Valley Chapter of REFORMA Member, Independent Reference Publishers Group Member, IBPA, the Independent Book Publishers Association   AWARDS RECEIVED Distinguished Alumna of the Year. University of Wisconsin's School of Library and Information Studies, 2007. Resolution of Appreciation for Gail A. Schlachter, RUSQ Editor, 1997-2000. Reference and User Services Association, 2000. Published in Reference & User Services Quarterly (RUSQ), Volume 40, Number 1 (Fall, 2000). Editor's Choice Award (for the four volumes in the Minority Funding Set: Financial Aid for African Americans, Financial Aid for Asian Americans, Financial Aid for Hispanic Americans, and Financial Aid for Native Americans). Reference Books Bulletin, 1998. Best Academic Title Award (for College Student's Guide to Merit & Other No-Need Funding).  Choice, 1997. Louis Shores-Oryx Press Award for Excellence in Reviewing. Reference and User Services Association, American Library Association, 1997. Isador Gilbert Mudge Award for Distinguished Service to Reference Librarianship. Reference and User Services Association, American Library Association, 1992. Best Reference Book of the Year Award (for Financial Aid for the Disabled and Their Families). Library Journal, 1990. Best Reference Book Award (for Financial Aid for the Disabled and Their Families). New York Public Library, 1989. Best Reference Book of the Year Award (for Directory of Financial Aids for Women). School Library Journal, 1989. "Best of the Best" Reference Book Award (for Directory of Financial Aids for Women). National Education and Information Center, 1988. Best Professional Book Award (for The Service Imperative: Essays in Honor of Margaret E. Monroe). RQ, 1986. ALA/Knowledge Industry Publications Award for Library Literature (for Reference Sources in Library and Information Services: A Guide to the Literature). Ameroican Library Association, 1985 (now known as the ABC-CLIO/Greenwood Award Best Book in Library Literature) Outstanding Reference Book Award  (for Minorities and Women: A Guide to Reference Literature in the Social Sciences). Choice, 1977. Outstanding Library Science Professor. University of Southern California, 1973. Beta Phi Mu. 1971. Higher Education Act Title II-B Fellowship. University of Minnesota, 1968-1971. Tuition Fellowship. University of Wisconsin, 1964-1966.   AWARDS FUNDED (To date, Gail has awarded more than $150,000 to 50+ library school students & librarians) Reference Service Press Fellowship in Reference and Information Service. $3,000 per year for a student to train to become a reference librarian. Administered by the California Library Association, 1993-  . Annual Reference Service Press Award. $2,500 per year to the authors of the most outstanding article published in RUSQ during the previous two years. Administered by the American Library Association's Reference and User Services Association, 1985-  . Annual.   PUBLICATIONS (Books, Articles/Papers, Electronic Products, & Editorships) Books (For reviews of many of these books, click here) Library Science Dissertations, 1925-1972. By Gail A. Schlachter and Dennis Thomison. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1974. Directory of Internships, Work Experience Programs, and On-the-Job Training Opportunities. By Gail A. Schlachter. Los Angeles, Ready Reference Press, 1975. Minorities and Women: A Guide to Reference Literature in the Social Sciences. By Gail A. Schlachter, with Donna Belli. Los Angeles, Reference Service Press, 1977.      Selected as: "Outstanding Academic Title of the Year," Choice Directory of Financial Aids for Women. By Gail A. Schlachter. San Carlos, CA: Reference Service Press, 1978- present. Biennial.      Selected as: "Best Reference Book of the Year," School Library Journal                             "Best of the Best," National Educational and Information Center                             "One of the Top 7 Financial Aid Scholarship Books," About.com The Service Imperative for Libraries: Essays in Honor of Margaret E. Monroe. Edited by Gail A Schlachter. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1982.      Selected as: "Best Professional Book," by RQ Library Science Dissertations, 1973-1981. By Gail A. Schlachter and Dennis Thomison. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1982. Directory of Financial Aids for Minorities. By Gail A. Schlachter. San Carlos, CA: Reference Service Press, 1984-1998. Biennial (replaced by the 4-volume Minority Funding Set in 1998). Reference Sources in Library and Information Services: A Guide to the Literature. By Gary R. Purcell and Gail A. Schlachter. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 1984.      Awarded: "Outstanding Library Literature Award," ALA/Knowledge Industry Publications How to Find out about Financial Aid. By Gail A. Schlachter. Los Angeles, Reference Service Press, 1987. Financial Aid for Veterans, Military Personnel, and Their Families. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. San Carlos, CA: Reference Service Press, 1988- present. Biennial.      Formerly titled: Financial Aid for Veterans, Military Personnel, and Their Dependents Financial Aid for the Disabled and Their Families. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. San Carlos, CA: Reference Service Press, 1988- . Biennial.      Selected as: "Best Reference Book of the Year," by Library Journal                             "Best Reference  Book," New York Public Library                             "Book of the Month," Boomer Esiason Foundation                             "One of the Top 7 Financial Aid Scholarship Books," About.com Financial Aid for Research, Study, Travel, and Other Activities Abroad. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. San Carlos, CA: Reference Service Press 1990. Financial Aid for Study and Training Abroad. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. San Carlos, CA: Reference Service Press, 1992- present. Biennial.      Selected as: "One of the Best Study Abroad Resources," TransitionsAbroad.com   Financial Aid for Research and Creative Activities Abroad. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. San Carlos, CA: Reference Service Press, 1992- present. Biennial.      Selected as: "One of the Best Study Abroad Resources," TransitionsAbroad.com The Back-to-School Money Book: A Financial Aid Guide for Midlife and Older Women. By Gail A. Schlachter. Washington, D.C.: American Association of Retired Persons, 1994 (Second edition published in 1996) High School Senior's Guide to Merit & Other No-Need Funding. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. San Carlos, CA: Reference Service Press, 1996- present. Biennial. College Student's Guide to Merit & Other No-Need Funding. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. San Carlos, CA: Reference Service Press, 1996- present. Biennial.      Selected as: "Outstanding Academic Title of the Year," Choice Money for Graduate Students in the Sciences. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. San Carlos, CA: Reference Service Press, 1996-2001. Biennial.      Continued by: Money for Graduate Students in the Biological Sciences                                Money for Graduate Students in the Health Sciences                               Money for Graduate Students in the Physical & Earth Sciences Money for Graduate Students in the Arts & Humanities. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. San Carlos, CA: Reference Service Press, 1996- present. Biennial.      Published as Money for Graduate Students in the Humanities from 1996-2003 Money for Graduate Students in the Social & Behavioral Sciences. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. San Carlos, CA: Reference Service Press, 1996- present. Biennial.      Published as Money for Graduate Students in Social Sciences from 1996-2001 Kaplan Scholarships. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. New York: Kaplan Publishing, 1997- present. Annual Financial Aid for African Americans. By Gail Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 1997- present. Biennial.      Selected as: "Editor's Choice," Reference Books Bulletin                            "One of the Top 7 Financial Aid and Scholarship Books," About.com Financial Aid for Asian Americans. By Gail Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 1997- present. Biennial.      Selected as: "Editor's Choice," Reference Books Bulletin                             "One of the Top 7 Financial Aid and Scholarship Books," About.com Financial Aid for Hispanic Americans. By Gail Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 1997- present. Biennial.      Selected as: "Editor's Choice," Reference Books Bulletin                             "One of the Top 7 Financial Aid and Scholarship Books," About.com Financial Aid for Native Americans. By Gail Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 1997- present. Biennial.      Selected as: "Editor's Choice," Reference Books Bulletin                             "One of the Top 7 Financial Aid and Scholarship Books," About.com RSP Funding for Nursing Students & Nurses. By Gail Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 1998-2008. Biennial.      Continued by: How to Pay for Your Degree in Nursing RSP Funding for Engineering Students. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2000-2004. Biennial.      Continued by How to Pay for Your Degree in Engineering Funding for Persons with Visual Impairments: Large Print Edition. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2000- present. Annual. Money for Graduate Students in the Biological Sciences. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2001- present. Biennial.      Published as Money for Graduate Students in the Biological & Health Sciences from 2001-2005 Money for Graduate Students in the Physical & Earth Sciences. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2001- present. Biennial. How to Pay for Your Degree in Agriculture & Related Fields. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2001- present. Biennial. How to Pay for Your Law Degree. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. foreword by Eric Goldman. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2001- present. Biennial. How to Pay for Your Degree in Business & Related Fields. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2002- present. Biennial. How to Pay for Your Degree in Education & Related Fields. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2002- present. Biennial. How to Pay for Your Degree in Journalism & Related Fields. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2002- present. Biennial. How to Find out about Financial Aid and Funding. By Gail Schlachter. El Dorado Hills, CA, Reference Service Press, 2003. How to Pay for Your Degree in Engineering. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2004- present. Biennial. Money for Christian College Students. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, Reference Service Press, 2005- present. Biennial. Money for Graduate Students in the Health Sciences. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2005- present. Biennial. Scholarships, Fellowships, and Loans. By Gail Schlachter and R. David Weber. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 2006-2008. Annual. College Blue Book, Volume 4. By Gail Schlachter and R. David Weber. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 2006-2008. Annual. Get Paid to Play: Every Student Athlete's Guide to Over $1 Million in College Scholarships. New York, Kaplan Publishing, 2007. How to Pay for Your Degree in Nursing. By Gail Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2008- present. Biennial.      Selected as "One of the Most Important Print Resources," Foundation Center                            "An Essential Nursing Reference," Nursing Education Perspectives Paying for College: Making the Cost of a College Education Affordable. By Gail A. Schlachter. New York: Kaplan, 2009. How to Pay for Your Degree in Library & Information Studies. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2010- present. Biennial.   Articles/Papers Guaranteed Annual Income: A Selected Bibliography of Current Materials. By Gail A. Schlachter. Madison, University of Wisconsin's Industrial Relations Research Institute, 1967 Industrial Relations Theses and Dissertations. By Gail A. Schlachter, Georgianna Herman, and Vickie Triplett. Madison: University of Wisconsin Industrial Relations Research Institute, 1967-1969. Annual Collective Bargaining: A Selected Basic Bibliography. By Gail A. Schlachter. Madison: University of Wisconsin Industrial Relations Research Institute, 1968 "Quasi-Unions and Organizational Hegemony within the Library Field." By Gail A. Schlachter. Library Quarterly 43: 185-98 (July, 1973) "Academic Status: Who Wants It?" By Ruth Hyman and Gail A. Schlachter. College & Research Libraries, 34: 472-78 (November, 1973) "The Library Science Doctorate: A Quantitative Analysis of Dissertations and Recipients." By Gail A. Schlachter and Dennis Thomison. Journal of Education for Librarianship 15: 95-111 (Fall, 1974) Program Evaluation in the Public Sector: A Selected Bibliography. By Gail A. Schlachter and Donna Belli. Monticello, IL: Council of Planning Librarians, 1975 The Changing Role of Women in America: A Selected Annotated Bibliography of Reference Sources.By Gail A. Schlachter and Donna Belli. Monticello, IL: Council of Planning Librarians, 1975 Blacks in an Urban Environment: A Selected Annotated Bibliography of Reference Souces.By Gail A. Schlachter and Donna Belli. Monticello, IL: Council of Planning Librarians, 1975 Planning for Priorities: A Survey of Academic Library Use. By Gail A. Schlachter. Long Beach: California State University, 1975. "Professionalism vs. Unionism." By Gail A. Schlachter. Library Trends 25: 451-73 (October, 1976) "Research and the Inquiring Librarian." By Gail A. Schlachter. LAUC Seminars on Career Development for Academic Librarians, Ed. by Richard S. Cooper. Berkeley: University of California, 1977 "Publishing: A Natural Extension of Librarianship." By Gail A. Schlachter. Infomediary 2:115.21 (November, 1985) "Reference Books (distinguished reference titles)." By Gail A. Schlachter. RQ 25:241+ (Fall, 1985) "Reference Books (reviewing process)." By Gail A. Schlachter. RQ 26:382-4+ (Spring, 1987) "Financial Aid Sources: How, When, and Where." By Gail A. Schlachter. The Black Collegian 18: 124-128 (September/October, 1987) "Reviewing the Reviewers." By Gail A. Schlachter. RQ 27:468-70 (Summer, 1988) "Obsolescence, Weeding and Bibliographic Love Canals." By Gail A. Schlachter. RQ 27:468-70 (Summer, 1988) "Research, One Step at a Time." By Gail A. Schlachter. RQ 28:293-4 (Spring, 1989) "Financial Aid: How to Get It, Where to Look for It." By Gail A. Schlachter. The Black Collegian 22:70-76 (November/December, 1991) "From the Editor." By Gail A. Schlachter. Reference and User Services Quarterly. 1997-2000. "Margaret E. Monroe: Beyond the Service Imperative." By Gail A. Schlachter. Reference and User Services Quarterly 44:184-186 (Spring, 2005)   Electronic Resources RSP Online Funding for Undergraduates. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. Boston: SilverPlatter/Ovid, 1995-2007 RSP Online Funding for Graduate Students.  By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. Boston: SilverPlatter/Ovid, 1995-2007 RSP Online Funding for Professionals and Postdoctorates.  By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. Boston: SilverPlatter/Ovid, 1995-2007 RSP Funding Focus. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. New York, American Online (AOL), 1996-2001 EUREKA/California Career Information Service Online Scholarship Database. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. Richmond, CA: EUREKA, 1996-2008 College BroadBand College Scholarship Database. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. New York, College BroadBand, 2000-2003 Funding for Persons with Visual Impairments: PLUS Edition (Diskette). By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2000-2006 COCIS/Colorado Career Information Service Online Scholarship Database. By Gail a. Schlachter and R. David Weber. Richmond, CA: EUREKA/COCIS, 2000-2008 Military.com Online Scholarship Finder. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. San Francisco, Military.com/Monster.com, 2003- present MDEED (America's Career Information Network/CareerOneStop) Scholarship Database. By Gail A Schlachter and R. David Weber. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2006-2008 MOAA Online Scholarship Finder. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. Alexandria, VA: Military Officers Association of America, 2007- present RSP Funding Finder/RSP Online Funding Database for Undergraduates. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2008- present Choctaw Online Undergraduate Scholarship Database. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. Durant, OK: Choctaw Nation, 2009- present RSP Funding Finder/RSP Online Funding Database for Graduate Students. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press, 2010- present Choctaw Online Graduate Fellowship Database. By Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber. Durant, OK: Choctaw Nation, 2010- present   Editorships Series Editor, C.S.U. Long Beach Facsimile Series, 1974-1975      Selected titles: Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania; An Account of European Settlements in America Newsletter Editor, CARL Newsletter, 1976-1977 Reference Book Review Editor, RQ, 1977-1988 Executive Editor, America: History and Life, 1981-1984 Executive Editor, Historical Abstracts, 1981-1984 Executive Editor, ABC Pol Sci, 1981-1984 Executive Editor, Clio Bibliography Series, 1981-1984      Selected titles: Indians of the U.S. and Canada; Africa since 1914; Social Reform and Reaction in America Library Science Dissertation Abstracts Editor, Library and Information Science Review, 1986-1989 Series Editor, RSP Special Reports, 1996-2004      Selected titles: Alternatives to Financial Aid, College CyberSearch, Fabulous Freebies, Scholarship Search Strategies, Speaking the Language (Your Financial Aid Dictionary)

Please send your inquiries, comments, and suggestions to info@rspfunding.com
Last updated May 18, 2012.
Copyright © 2004-2012 Reference Service Press, 5000 Windplay Drive, Suite 4, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 USA.
(916) 939-9620. Fax: (916) 939-9626.
All rights reserved.