NEW YORK, June 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The Elsevier Foundation is seeking new grant proposals for the 2010 Innovative Libraries in Developing Countries program. Sponsored by Elsevier, a leading global publisher of scientific, technical and medical information, the Innovative Libraries program provides grants to library programs in the developing world for innovative systems and services that improve access to scientific, technical and medical information. The deadline for Innovative Libraries proposals is September 15th 2010. Grants will be awarded in December 2010 and provide one, two and three year awards between US$5,000 to US$50,000 per year.

The Innovative Libraries in Developing Countries (http://www.elsevierfoundation.org/library.html) program supports the efforts of libraries in developing countries to improve their ability to put scientific, technical and medical information to work for those who need it. Past projects have included: expanding library information resources through digitization and knowledge preservation; training and education programs for librarians and researchers; developed-developing world partnerships to provide longer term technical assistance and training.

Last year, the number of applications to the Innovative Libraries program rose by more than half - a clear indication of the need for this type of information development, said David Ruth, Executive Director of the Elsevier Foundation, We believe strongly in the critical importance of funding proposals that demonstrate the use of information to address diverse issues of development, including environment, clinical care, emergency management and research skills.

Active since 2002, the Elsevier Foundation provides grants to institutions around the world, with a focus on supporting the world's libraries and scholars in the early stages of their careers. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than 60 grants worth millions of dollars to non-profit organizations working in these fields. In January 2010, $600,000 in grants were awarded to 12 organizations selected for their innovation and potential for impact in the developing world and academic workplace.

More information on the program requirements and details of how to submit a 2010 proposal are available below and on The Elsevier Foundation (http://www.elsevierfoundation.org/index.html) website. The online Elsevier Foundation application program will accept proposals from August 1st through September 15th on http://www.elsevierfoundation.org.

About The Elsevier Foundation

The Elsevier Foundation (http://www.elsevierfoundation.org/) provides grants to institutions around the world, with a focus on support for the world's libraries and for scholars in the early stages of their careers. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than 50 grants worth over a million dollars to non-profit organizations working in these fields. Through gift-matching, the Foundation also supports the efforts of Elsevier employees to play a positive role in their local and global communities. The Elsevier Foundation is funded by Elsevier, a leading global publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet (http://www.thelancet.com) and Cell (http://www.cell.com), and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include ScienceDirect (http://www.sciencedirect.com), Scopus (http://www.scopus.com), Reaxys (http://www.reaxys.com), MD Consult (www.mdconsult.com) and Nursing Consult (http://www.nursingconsult.com), which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite (http://www.scival.com) and MEDai's Pinpoint Review (http://www.medai.com), which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier (http://www.elsevier.com) employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC (http://www.reedelsevier.com), a world-leading publisher and information provider, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

Ylann Schemm The Elsevier Foundation +31-20-485-2025 newsroom@elsevier.com

SOURCE: The Elsevier Foundation

CONTACT: Ylann Schemm, The Elsevier Foundation, +31-20-485-2025,newsroom@elsevier.com