2026 Scholarship Winners
Florida Library Association Scholarship Winners
The Florida Library Association (FLA) Awards and Honors Committee is pleased to announce the 2026 scholarship winners. The scholarship recipients will be recognized at the 2026 Annual Conference at the Hilton Doubletree Universal Orlando on Friday, May 15th.
Kismet Kohn is a Florida native and current graduate student at Florida State University. She has worked at the Maitland Public Library and currently works with the Orange County Library System, where she supports public services and community access to information. Kismet plans to build a career in librarianship that advances equitable access to information and strengthens the role of libraries as inclusive community and academic resources.
What this scholarship means to me:
"Receiving the Florida Library Association Past Presidents Graduate Scholarship is both an honor and a meaningful milestone in my journey toward a career in librarianship. This recognition affirms the value of the work I am pursuing, and it motivates me to continue developing the skills needed to serve user communities effectively. The financial support provided by this scholarship will help me focus more fully on my studies and professional growth, and I am deeply grateful for the investment in my future in the library field."
My name is Melina Gaitanis, and I have worked as a library assistant in Manatee County for the past two years. I am currently pursuing my Master’s degree in Library and Information Science at the University of South Florida, where I am in my second semester. I aspire to grow within my field and take on the role of a librarian. Obtaining my degree is an important step toward that goal. I am passionate about the work I do and value the connections I have built within my community. For the first time in my professional experience, I feel that my efforts are both recognized and meaningful, which continues to motivate me in my career.
What the scholarship means to me:
"I cannot fully express how much this scholarship means to me. Balancing my education and my health has been one of my greatest challenges, and opportunities like the Bernadette Storck Scholarship give me hope and motivation to keep moving forward. I am committed to continuing my studies and working hard to achieve my goals so that I can make a meaningful difference in the library field. I am deeply grateful for the support I have received in pursuing my education thus far."
Sarah M. Romero is a first-generation graduate student of Cuban-Colombian heritage and Vice President of the Florida State University American Library Association Student Chapter. She is pursuing an M.S. in Information Science at Florida State University with a Health Informatics certificate. She currently serves as a Circulation Desk Specialist and liaison in Digital Strategies and Scholarly Communication at Rollins College, where she advances Open Educational Resources and textbook affordability initiatives. Her passion for scholarly communication and open access librarianship is shaped by both her prior legal support experience and her current work at Rollins. Her goal upon graduation is to pursue a career in librarianship that advances equitable access to information, open education, and digital scholarship in academic and public‑serving libraries.
What this scholarship means to me:
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Florida Library Association for presenting me with the Kimberly L. Amos-Tata Florida State University iSchool Scholarship. Your generosity provides meaningful support as I pursue my graduate education at Florida State University. It is truly an honor to receive this recognition as I continue this rewarding path toward academic librarianship.
