Initial Taped Introduction:

This is Loriene Roy and I'm here in ______________ [location] with _____________ [name of Scholar] on ____________ [date]. It is ________ [time]. We are here to talk about his/her life history, his/her experiences as a Spectrum Scholar, and his/her expectations for the future. He/she has agreed to be taped for the Spectrum Initiative Longitudinal Study.

Initial Questions: Early Life History

Let's go back to your early life and some background questions.

1. What is your earliest memory?
2. Can you tell me about your mother? Let's start with her name.
3. When was your mother born and where?
4. If you inherited a characteristic from your mother, what do you think it would be?
5. Now let's talk a little bit about your father. What's his name?
6. When was your father born and where?
7. If you have a characteristic from your father, what would that be?
8. How did your parents meet?
9. How many children are there in your family? Can you tell me a little about your siblings?
10. When's your birthday?
11. What are your siblings doing with their lives?
12. Tell me about your parents' schooling.
13. What opinions did your parents have about work?

Questions Related to the Scholar's Educational Experiences

1. Tell me about your schooling. What schools did you attend?
2. How would you describe yourself as a student in your early life?
3. If you were recognized for one strength in your early education, what was that strength?
4. During your school years was there any adult who gave you any special encouragement?
5. How do you think your ethnicity (African-American/African-Canadian, Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino/Hispanic, Native American or First Nations) affected your educational experiences?
6. What were you interested in studying at the beginning of your undergraduate years?

Questions Related to the Scholar's Work History

1. Can you tell me something about your work experience? When did you start working for pay? What sort of work did you do?
2. How do you think your cultural background affected your work experience?
3. How did you hear about careers connected to libraries?

Questions Related to the Spectrum Initiative

1. How did you hear about the Spectrum Initiative Scholarships?
2. What was your experience in completing the Spectrum Scholarship application?
3. Can you tell me about the day you heard that you were selected to be a Spectrum Scholar?
4. Why do you think you were selected?
5. Did you attend a Spectrum Initiative Leadership Institute? If so, can you tell me a little about your experiences there?

Questions Related to the Student's Educational Experience

1. How did you choose your graduate school?
2. How has receiving a Spectrum Initiative Scholarship affected your studies?
3. Can you tell me about your library school experience. Was it what you expected it to be?
4. Tell me about your first day in class in library school?
5. What has your social life been like in school?
6. Has anyone taken a special interest in you and your career decisions?

Questions Related to the Student's Professional Future

1. Do you feel that as a Spectrum Scholar that you have certain responsibilities to the field in general and to the American Library Association in particular?

2. What will we find you doing five years from now? What are your general plans for the future?
3. What are your plans for your professional future?
4. Do you have plans on participating in ALA through committees and other types of service?
5. What advice would you give the field in terms of recruiting other librarians of color?
6. What advice would you give to a person of color who might be considering a career in library and information science?

Summary Questions

1. What would you say is your strongest personal attribute?
2. What have you done that has given you the greatest sense of accomplishment?
3. What one thing would you do differently in your life?
4. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you!