American Philosophical Society Library Short-Term Resident Research Fellowship

1-3 months of support for scholars in all fields who show a demonstrated need to use the American Philosophical Society's Library and Museum collections.

The American Philosophical Society's Library & Museum in Philadelphia invites applications for short-term residential research fellowships. These funding opportunities provide 1- to 3- months of support for researchers in residence and are open to scholars in all fields who show a demonstrated need to use the Library & Museum’s collections for their project. Approximately 25-30 short-term fellowships are awarded each year.

The APS's Library & Museum’s collections make it among the premier institutions for documenting and exhibiting the history of the American Revolution and founding, the history of science from Newton to NASA, Native American languages and culture, and the development of American anthropology. The Library & Museum houses over 13 million manuscripts; 350,000 volumes of printed materials and bound periodicals; 250,000 images, fine art, and other objects; thousands of maps and prints; and more than 3,500 hours of audio recordings of Native American languages.

Comprehensive, searchable guides and finding aids to our collections are available online at www.amphilsoc.org/library and http://amphilsoc.pastperfectonline.com/.

A stipend of $3,000 per month is awarded for a minimum of one month and a maximum of three months. The stipend is paid after the awardee arrives at the APS's Library & Museum to begin their fellowship. The duration of award is requested by the candidate, but the final decision is made by the Fellowship Committee. The purpose of the stipend is to defray the costs of working in Philadelphia.

Fellowships may be taken starting any day no earlier than June 1, 2022 and must be completed by May 31, 2023. Fellows are required to be in residence for four to twelve consecutive weeks, depending upon the length of the award. Fellows do not have to decide on the dates of their fellowship right away; they have one year to decide, although most take their fellowships during the summer period.

See the opportunity website for more information.

Application Process: 

All application materials will be submitted online. All applicants must submit:

  • A cover letter 
  • Curriculum vitae
  • A research proposal (2 pages) that outlines the status of your work and what you will research at the American Philosophical Society's Library & Museum.  Special attention must be made to specific collections that will be of use during your fellowship
  • Two confidential letters of reference

The link to the online application: https://apply.interfolio.com/98453

Application deadline: March 4, 2022