Short-Term Research Fellowships

Grace Hartigan in her Essex Street studio
Grace Hartigan in her Essex Street studio photo by Walter Silver (1923-1998)Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection

 

 

The New York Public Library is pleased to offer Short-Term Research Fellowships to support scholars based outside the New York metropolitan area engaged in graduate-level, post-doctoral, and independent research in the arts and humanities. This fellowship is intended to support projects that would significantly benefit from research drawing on collections accessible at The New York Public Library and conducted onsite at one of our three research centers: The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.

Fellowship stipends are $1,000 per week for a minimum of one and maximum of four weeks. 

Applicants should articulate the importance of the Library's holdings to their projects and are encouraged to contact staff in the relevent research division(s) with any questions regarding collections or additional holdings. Explore the NYPL Research Catalog, Archives and Manuscripts Portal, and Research Guides for more information on collections and resources accessible at NYPL's research centers. While these do not represetn the entirety of the Library's collections, they provide a thorough overview and are a good place to start. 

For assistance with the application process, email fellowships@nypl.org. Library staff cannot provide feedback on individual applications or project proposals.

Key Dates:

  • Applications open: November 27, 2023
  • Application deadline: March 4, 2024
  • Recommendation letters due: March 18, 2024
  • Applicant notification: May 31, 2024
  • Award period: July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 

Eligibility: International applicants and U.S. citizens based outside of the New York metropolitan area, as defined here, are welcome to apply.

Application Instructions:

To apply for a Short-Term Research Fellowship, please visit the NYPL Fellowship Portal, register for an account, and create a user profile. (If you have registered for an account in the past, you may log in with your existing account.) Once in the portal, click on "Fellowships" at the top of the page to view open applications and apply. 

A complete application must include the following: 

  • Profile and application completed in the NYPL Fellowship Portal
  • Abbreviated CV of no more than two pages
  • Project proposal of no more than 1500 words -- see below for further details
  • One professional letter of recommendation

Note: The CV that you upload when creating your user profile will be automatically attached to any applications you submit in the portal thereafter. Recommendation letters will be accepted until March 18, 2024 provided you have submitted an otherwise complete application by March 4, 2024. When you submit your application, an email will be sent to your recommender with instructions and a link to upload their letter. 

Project Proposal:

Successful project proposals will include a thorough explanation of how in-person access to collections accessible at The New York Public Library is essential to the progress and completion of the research project. 

Proposals should also include: 

  • Abstract of the project's major themes, questions, and arguments
  • Significance of the project
  • Specific Library collections and holdings to be consulted during the fellowship
  • Project plan, including a timeline of your work with the Library's collections during the fellowship term and a description of the proposed methodological approach
  • Expected project outcomes
  • Personal statement (350 words max) detailing the impact this fellowship would have on your project and/or career as well as the likelihood of successfully completing your project without this fellowship 

Selection Criteria:

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee composed of expert Library staff who will consider the following criteria:

  • Need for research holdings of The New York Public Library 
  • Uniqueness of materials and innovative uses of material
  • Quality of the project plan as it relates to the size and scope of materials to be accessed
  • Impact this grant might have on the applicant's project and/or career 

 

The New York Public Library's Short-Term Research Fellowship Program is generously supported by the Sidney J. Weinberg Jr. Foundation.