Who may apply?
All long-term fellowships are restricted to postdoctoral scholars. Most short-term fellowships are for PhD candidates or postdoctoral scholars, though some awards are available for other categories of applicants. Scholars whose principal residence or place of employment is inside the Chicago area are not eligible for short-term awards. Review individual fellowship descriptions for more detailed information.
What constitutes the “Chicago area”?
The Chicago area, as determined by the Newberry Awards Committee, includes the Illinois counties Cook, Dekalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will; Indiana counties Lake, LaPorte, and Porter; and Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Any scholar whose principal residence or place of employment is located within these counties is ineligible for most short-term awards.
Must I hold a fellowship to use the Newberry’s resources?
No. The Newberry is free and open to anyone over the age of 16.
Can Newberry fellowships be used to subsidize tuition expenses?
Lawrence Lipking Fellows receive a stipend plus tuition at Northwestern University but must take up residency at the Newberry. No other tuition assistance is available, and none of the Newberry’s awards support undergraduate studies.
How does the Newberry define “PhD candidate” and “postdoctoral scholar”?
A PhD candidate is currently enrolled in a PhD program and has advanced to candidacy through approval of the dissertation proposal; it is equivalent to an “ABD.” A postdoctoral scholar is anyone who has been awarded a PhD, irrespective of employment, rank, or seniority. In both cases, the status must have been achieved by the time of application. We will not consider applications from those who expect PhD candidacy or completion after the application deadline.
What is the deadline for applications?
Applications and letters of recommendation for the 2012-13 academic year must be postmarked by December 12, 2011 for long-term fellowships and by February 6, 2012 for most short-term fellowships. The Committee on Awards will not consider applications for years beyond the coming academic year.
When may applicants expect to learn if they have been awarded fellowships?
Long-term applicants are typically notified in mid- to late-March. Short-term applicants are usually notified near the end of April.
What criteria are used in evaluating fellowship applications?
In general, the Awards Committee considers three criteria:
- The significance of the proposed project
- The applicant’s ability to complete the proposed project
- The appropriateness of the proposed project to the Newberry’s collections
The fellowship selection process is competitive, and all criteria are considered carefully. Criteria one and two are important considerations for all applicants. For a long-term fellowship project the collection should be appropriate. For short-term awards criterion three takes on added significance. The Newberry collections must be necessary to a short-term fellowship project since these fellowships are intended to enable individuals to have access to particular materials that are important to their research.
Applicants should bear in mind that their applications will be read by an interdisciplinary committee of scholars who must evaluate projects on a broad range of fields and periods; these committees might not include a scholar familiar with any particular applicant’s field. The most successful application is usually that which articulates the nature and stakes of the project in terms that are clear to non-specialists, explaining why the project may be significant to those outside the field.
How are fellows selected?
All applications are reviewed by several individuals. Final decisions on applications are made by the Newberry Awards Committee, an internal group of scholars and curators. The Newberry does not release reviewers’ comments, but applicants with questions regarding a particular decision are invited to write to the Committee on Awards or to e-mail the Committee at research@newberry.org.
What is the focus of the Newberry’s collections?
The Newberry’s Core Collections concern the civilizations of Western Europe and the Americas from the late Middle Ages to the twenty-first century. Certain collections are internationally noted, including those containing materials on the following subjects:
- The Renaissance in Europe
- European exploration and settlement of the Americas
- French Revolutionary Era
- British literature and history
- Native American histories and literatures
- The American West
- Portuguese history
- Brazilian history
- History of cartography
- History and theory of music
- History of religion
- Local history, family history, and genealogy
- Literature and history of the Midwest, especially the Chicago Renaissance and Chicago journalism
- History of printing
- Early philology and linguistics
For further information about specific collections or how one might pursue a particular topic in the collections, contact the Reference Desk at reference@newberry.org or at (312) 255-3506.
If I am successful, are there any restrictions as to when I may take up a fellowship?
Fellowships awarded for the 2012-2013 academic year must be completed between July 1, 2012, and July 1, 2013. In general, all fellowships must be completed by the end of the academic year for which they are awarded.
What does residency mean?
With the exception of our exchange fellowships, all Newberry fellowships are residential. This means that you must work at the library full-time throughout the tenure of your fellowship, without major interruptions. Except in extraordinary circumstances, fellows may not break up their fellowships into more than one period of residency. If you cannot stay at the Newberry for the entire period of your fellowship, we will pro-rate your stipend accordingly.
What are the housing arrangments for fellows?
Fellows will need to arrange for their own housing. For more information regarding neighborhood apartment, hotels, and other housing and Newberry discounts, see Accommodations and Dining and More Housing Options for Fellows and Visitors.
May I apply at the same time for more than one category of fellowship or for both short and long-term fellowships?
Yes. Simply check off the boxes on the cover sheet for all fellowships for which you wish to be considered. Those applying for both long and short-term fellowships must assemble two separate application packets, using the appropriate cover sheet for each and enclosing the required number of copies in each. Applicants may submit the same research project for both long and short-term applications. Applying for more than one fellowship will not reduce your chances of receiving an award. However, individuals may accept only one fellowship.
May I apply for a Newberry fellowship if I have held one previously?
The Awards Committee will not support a project for which the applicant has already received a long-term fellowship at the Newberry, nor can an applicant apply for a second short-term fellowship for the same project. Scholars who have received a short-term fellowship may apply for a long-term fellowship for the same project. Applications from former fellows are welcome, but all other things being equal, preference is given to applicants who have not held a major fellowship within the past three years.
If I am coming from abroad, can the Newberry help me secure a visa?
The Newberry is authorized by the Department of State to issue DS-2019 forms that can be used by foreign scholars to secure a J-1 visa for the period of their research.
How can I learn more about the Newberry and its programs?
Explore the Newberry site, including Programs and Events, the Calendar, Core Collections, and Research Centers; e-mail questions to research@newberry.org; write to Committee on Awards, The Newberry, 60 West Walton St., Chicago, IL 60610-7324; or call us at (312) 255-3666.