Incoming USF MLIS student, Myla Corn, has been awarded the 2024 Tony B. Leisner Scholarship by the American Library Association (ALA). This scholarship is given to employed library support staff pursuing their MLIS degrees. Myla currently works as a customer service agent with the Seminole County Public Library, where she has been employed for the last three years as a library page.
Myla received her Associate of Arts degree from Seminole State College, followed by an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Central Florida. Her passion for librarianship and her decision to pursue an MLIS began during her early days as a volunteer at the Seminole County Public Library. “I loved it. I love working with the public,” she says. “The library is the cornerstone of the community that people forget and is underutilized.”
As she prepares to start the MLIS program this upcoming fall semester, Myla is excited to learn about all the aspects of librarianship and exploring the different career pathways available in the field. Her long-term goal is to help libraries become more utilized resources within communities and to help increase literacy rates. “Libraries are a free and easy resource to help boost literacy goals,” she emphasizes, highlighting the vital role libraries play in addressing community needs. Alongside her academic pursuits, Myla volunteers with Project Linus where she makes blankets for those in need throughout the community.