The Scholar-in-Residence program at the Newberry encourages postdoctoral scholars in the humanities to conduct research in our collections and to join our community of scholars for an academic year. Selected scholars are provided with reserve space, access to the Newberry during extended hours, and opportunities to present their work-in-progress to the Newberry’s scholarly community. The experience of the Newberry’s fellows, staff, and readers is much enhanced by the contributions that scholars-in-residence make to our shared intellectual life each year.

The application form asks the applicant to specify a request for either a shelf (or shelves) or a carrel. Please be aware that carrel space is limited and therefore it is most likely that newly-selected scholars will be assigned reserve shelves in the General Reading Room rather than a carrel. Scholars-in-residence who have shelves will be eligible to move to carrels if and when carrels become available. Scholars whose attendance and use of the collections is most intensive are given the highest priority for such moves. Residency is measured by the number of days spent at the Newberry, as recorded at the security kiosk.

How to Apply

Applications to become a Scholar-in-Residence are accepted each year in April. To apply, candidates must submit a project description no longer than 1000 words. It must describe the research project, explain its significance, enumerate the Newberry materials to be consulted, and outline a plan of work. Candidates’ need for and intensive use of the Newberry’s collections is a crucial factor in our consideration of applications. Thus, please be as specific as possible about the Newberry materials to be used. When appropriate, please also make specific reference to previous published scholarship that will be revised or supplanted by the proposed project. For information about the Newberry’s collections, see our Core Collections and consult the Online Catalog.

In addition to the project description, applicants must complete the application form and submit it along with an up-to-date c.v. no longer than 5 pages. The Newberry’s Academic Council will review these materials. We also expect that all scholars-ie to the Newben-residence plan to publish or otherwise disseminate their research, will participate in the Newberry’s intellectual community, and are willing to provide servicrry. Unfortunately, the Newberry cannot offer remuneration to scholars-in-residence, but we can offer some privileges, including reserve space for paged materials and the ability to read at the Newberry during extended hours when we are closed to the general public.

Please submit application materials to research@newberry.org. The application is due on May 1, 2013. We expect to notify applicants about their acceptance in June 2013. We expect new scholars-in-residence to begin their residencies on September 3, 2013, so that they can join the new long-term fellows in the fall orientation activities.