20 January 1998: The School of Information and Library Studies at the University of Buffalo, State University of New York commits $20,000 to match up to four $5,000 Spectrum Scholarships.

4 February 1998: The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Library and Information Science and the Milwaukee Public Library offer additional support for Spectrum Scholars including two $2000 scholarships for Wisconsin residents and non-resident tuition remission for four out-of-state students.

23 February 1998: The University of Oklahoma School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) commits $5,000 to match one Spectrum Scholarship.

Spring 1998: Joe Scepanski chairs the first Spectrum Initiative Scholarship Jury.

1 April 1998: Applications for the first year of Spectrum Scholarships are due.

15 April 1998: The Michigan Library Association provides additional $500 grants to Spectrum Scholars attending a Michigan library school.

8 May 1999: The first Spectrum Initiative Scholarship Jury meets in Chicago.

18 May 1998: April Olinger joins ALA's Office of Literacy and Outreach Services as Administrative Assistant for the Spectrum Initiative.

1 June 1998: The first class of fifty Spectrum Scholars is announced.

27 June 1998: The first Diversity Fair is held at the 1998 ALA Annual/Washington, D.C.

19-20 October 1998: The Spectrum Initiative Steering Committee fall meeting is held in Chicago.

27 October 1998: Steering Committee Members are elected to serve as Regional Mentors for the first class of Spectrum Scholars.

27 October 1998: The Spectrum Committee list is revised. These committees are: Institute: R. I. Mutope A-Alkebu-Lan, Chair. Library School: Kathleen de la Pena McCook, Chair. Recruitment: Florence Brown, Chair. Scholarship Jury: Betty Turock, Chair.

November 1998: Sandra Balderrama is selected as ALA's first Diversity Officer.

November 1998: Diana Morales replaces Sandra Balderrama as the REFORMA representative on the Spectrum Initiative Steering Committee.

Fall 1998: Spectrum Initiative recruitment posters appear in the ALA graphics catalog.

Fall 1998: At its annual conference, the Illinois Library Association pledges to support the Spectrum Initiative.

November 1998: The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Leadership and Career Development (LCD) Program's participants serve as mentors to the 1998 Scholars.

November 1998: RUSA creates an intern program to support Spectrum.

Fall 1998: Catholic University of America's School of Library and Information Science offers half-tuition to Spectrum Scholars.

November 1998: Dr. Mohammed Aman, Dean of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's School of Library and Information Science, donates his stipend from the DEMCO's Librarian of the Year award to his University's matching scholarship fund for Spectrum Scholars.

November 1998: Indiana University's School of Library and Information Science awards up to two scholarships for Spectrum Scholars.

November 1998: Syracuse University's School of Information Studies will award a scholarship and tuition to a Spectrum Scholar.

November 1998: The Board of the Brooklyn Public Library will provide a $5,000 match to employees who receive Spectrum Scholarships. The Illinois Library Association supports the Spectrum Initiative from ticket sales to a play, "Ragtime," to support a Spectrum Scholar who is also an Illinois resident.

Fall 1998: The Black Caucus of Chicago donates $500 toward Spectrum.

Fall 1998: The Iowa Library Association donates $100 toward Spectrum.