The vision of the Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL) is to be the leading regional organization in the information sector, with a motivated and united membership, a strong administrative and organizational support structure, and an effective program of activities to strengthen this leadership role. In building on the strengths of, and recognizing the challenges posed by the multilingual, cultural diversity of the Caribbean region, ACURIL seeks among other goals: to sponsor professional development programs. With this specific goal in mind, ACURIL formalized its Scholarship Program on November of 2003, in order to establish different types of Scholarships.
Dr. Alma Theodora Jordan, Trinidadian by birth, with a doctorate in librarianship from Columbia University in the United States, and past Director of the Library of The University of the West Indies in St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, was the first President of ACURIL, from 1969-1970.
Under her presidency she stimulated collaboration among university and research libraries, and the continuing education of information professionals.
Her leadership role stimulated and contributed to the growth of the Association Purpose of the Scholarship. The ultimate purpose of this financial assistance is to fund the attendance of one person, from each of the following language areas: English, Spanish, French and Dutch, with the registration fee to attend an ACURIL annual conference.