We will award twelve scholarships to teachers and librarians who wish to attend our annual Seminar.

We seek a diverse group of individuals who are making a positive impact upon readers in their communities, and we hope that participation in our literary community will inspire fresh engagement with literature in schools and libraries around the country.

Scholarship recipients will gain exposure to contemporary authors and texts, expand their professional network of teachers, librarians, and writers, and be inspired to bring new ideas to the institutions and communities they serve. Through tours of the Key West Public Library and its archives and visits to historical sites, they will engage with the local resources and history that animate the KWLS mission.

Scholarship packages include a full waiver of the Seminar registration fee of $825 and need-based financial assistance to offset lodging costs. Upon request, we will also provide a letter to your employer encouraging financial support for your travel expenses. We are committed to making it possible for every accepted scholarship winner to be able to afford coming to Key West, so please do not hesitate to apply.

Priority will be given to those who have not previously received KWLS support.

Read about last year’s scholarship winners.

Important Dates:

Applications are now open. Deadline is July 15.

Eligibility:

Scholarships are available to all teachers and librarians in the United States. We seek individuals who are making a positive impact upon readers in their communities.

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How to Apply

Applicants must complete a scholarship application via Submittable. Requirements are listed below:

1. Request Letter:

Please tell us about your work as a teacher or librarian in 750 words or less. A successful request letter will describe your institution, the community it serves, and your role within it; address the theme and/or speakers for the upcoming Seminar; and explain how you hope your attendance at the Seminar will benefit you and your community. Please also tell us something about your financial need, and whether or not you would be able to attend KWLS without our support.

2. Letter of Recommendation:

One letter of recommendation is required. It may be written by a supervisor, former student, patron, or peer. An effective letter will describe your strengths as a teacher or librarian and the impact you have made on others in your community and/or institution.

In the application form, you will be asked to provide an email address for your recommender. Once you submit the application, they will receive an email from Submittable with a link to upload the recommendation letter. We suggest that you contact your recommender before you submit your application and alert them to expect this email.

Applications without a letter of recommendation will not be considered. It is your responsibility to follow up with your recommender to make sure the letter has been sent.

3. References:

Please provide the names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of two additional persons who are familiar with you and your work.

Testimonials

“Every aspect of my experience as a KWLS Scholarship recipient was surreal. It was an honor to be immersed in a historical location with great writers and individuals who value and promote literature. My favorite part was listening to authors discuss the craft of writing and their personal experiences which shaped their stories. I greatly appreciate the KWLS Audio Archive which provides recordings of previous author presentations. Because we were encouraged to tailor the seminar to our own professional needs, I left Key West feeling refreshed with great stories to share with my fellow book lovers and a goal to bring writers to my community.”

-Jo Phillips, 2025 scholarship recipient
“The writers were unparalleled in their ability to speak to their audience in clear and focused voices, whether the audience was of readers or listeners. The group of teacher/librarian scholarship recipients was a warm and welcoming group even though we were very diverse in our academic interests and careers. And the Seminar organizers thought of every detail to make all of the attendees feel valued and comfortable. I recommend this Seminar to everyone I encounter who has an interest in a learning more about not only the craft of writing but also the social and cultural influences of the featured writers.”
-Kathy Lancaster, 2018 scholarship recipient
“The KWLS has ruined me in terms of professional development in the best way possible: I have been spoiled by this fantastic event and will seek more opportunities like this in the future… A student once lamented to me that “there are no good contemporary authors writing today.” What?!? A shock! I was reminded from this comment that, as an educator, it’s my job to SHOW what is happening now in the literary world, to support contemporary authors, and to convey excellence in literature to my students by sharing that it’s a living thing. There are so many wonderful authors today–and I feel like the KWLS showcases the absolute best of them.”
-Audrey Wick, 2018 scholarship recipient

“[Attending was] not only a chance to expand my knowledge, it allowed me to expand my network, too. It was the stories, struggles, and solutions we shared that made the Seminar meaningful. It was the moments of face-to-face reflection that mattered the most for all of us.”

~ Ashley Rose, 2023 scholarship recipient

“From the moment I arrived, I felt immersed in a vibrant community of writers, readers, and thinkers who share a deep passion for literature. The opportunity to engage with acclaimed authors, attend thought-provoking panels, and connect with fellow librarians from around the country was both inspiring and energizing. Every session sparked new ideas and conversations that I carried with me beyond the seminar. I left feeling not only recharged professionally, but also personally moved by the power of stories and the people who preserve and share them.
-Brie Mintz, 2025 scholarship recipient
“I want to amplify Caribbean authors by showcasing books from the 2018 Key West Literary Seminar during the upcoming semester. Also, I think the juxtaposition of themes explored in contemporary Caribbean literature – such as LGBTQ issues, being “other” or part of an outsider group, women’s issues, and subversive ideas – is fascinating…  Providing a forum for the discussion of Caribbean books among the university community, when so many people are unaware of the cultural richness that the Caribbean offers, is timely.”
-Sabine Dantus, 2018 scholarship recipient