University Library is able to host up to four fellows, in the Center for Library Exploration and Research (CLEAR), the Center for Digital Scholarship (CDS), John Hay Library and Center for the Study of the Early Modern World, and Racial Justice Resource Center.
Center for Library Exploration and Research. The contact person for this program is Niamh McGuigan, Director of Library Exploration and Research.
The Center for Library Exploration and Research (CLEAR) at the Brown University Library seeks a graduate student fellow for 2023-2024 whose research areas intersect with or can be applied to issues in libraries and information science, and who is interested in gaining experience in developing programs to support student research skills. This is a full year opportunity, with the expectation that the fellow will devote half of their time to research (10 hours per week), and half of their time to service to the Center (10 hours per week). However, other arrangements can be considered. The fellow will be provided with office space in the Library.
The Center for Library Exploration and Research (CLEAR) is a transformative new center in the University Library, aimed at exploring new approaches for teaching core research skills and supporting researchers at all levels. CLEAR administers a suite of programs for library and information literacy education, campus outreach, faculty development, and community engagement, and looks for ways to foster academic community in and around the Library. CLEAR also supports exploration of key issues and practices in libraries, to provide opportunities for critique and transformation of library services and operations.
CLEAR is looking for applicants from a broad range of backgrounds whose research interests, disciplinary perspectives, and prior training will inform and potentially enhance Library work in areas related to information literacy, research methods, scholarly communication and publishing, user experience, community engagement, diversity and inclusion, student success, and other key issues for libraries and archives. This fellowship will be of particular interest to graduate students who are interested in gaining experience with teaching research methods and information literacies (broadly defined) in a variety of contexts and settings. Applicants are welcome to contact the Center director before submitting an application to discuss the library context and explore potential research intersections.
The full details of the fellowship opportunity will be negotiated with the fellow, to craft an experience that best supports the goals of both the student and the Library. Fellows will be expected to share their research with members of the Library staff, and actively participate in CLEAR events and meetings. In addition, the fellow will participate in the on-going work of the Center to develop new paradigms for teaching and supporting research. Possible responsibilities may include contributing to the development of a new Library-wide orientation program; programs to support undergraduate and/or graduate student research skills (such as designing collaborative research projects, leading a learning community, or designing a workshop series); developing outreach programs for library users; and working with library staff to develop information literacy learning goals and curricula.
At the conclusion of the fellowship, the fellow will submit an evaluation of their experience, reflecting on substantive issues, needs and capabilities that might be appropriate for the Library’s future work with other graduate students and faculty in their research endeavors.
The Center for Digital Scholarship (CDS). The contact person for this program is Ashley Champagne, Director of the Center for Digital Scholarship.
The Center for Digital Scholarship (CDS) is looking for one fellow with interest and/or experience in using digital tools and methods for research for 2023-2024. The anticipated time commitment is 6-8 hours per week. The fellow will be provided with office space in the Library.
The fellow will serve the Brown community in collaboration with the CDS staff experts by offering consultations to faculty and students, presenting on their own scholarly work, and participating in CDS meetings and other activities. The fellow will have the opportunity to assist with each of the current CDS specialties: text mining, data visualization, data analysis, scientific data management, geospatial information, scholarly communications, web design, and digital publishing. There is room to shape the position to fit the fellow’s specific expertise and interests.
A few examples of how the fellow might contribute to the Library's dynamic environment for digital scholarship are:
- Developing a faculty digital project with the CDS team
- Creating documentation and other materials related to the fellow's own work to contribute to knowledge of digital scholarly practice
- Advising other graduate students on using digital tools for their research
At the conclusion of the fellowship, the fellow will submit an evaluation of their experience, reflecting on substantive issues, needs and capabilities that might be appropriate for the Library’s future work with other graduate students and faculty in their research endeavors.
John Hay Library and Center for the Study of the Early Modern World. The John Hay Library and the Center for the Study of the Early Modern World offer a joint fellowship for 2023-2024. Applicants are invited to design an undergraduate course incorporating primary source material, an exhibition, a curatorial project, a conference, or a symposium that will promote collaboration between scholars of the early modern period and the John Hay Library. The anticipated time commitment is 8-10 hours per week. The fellow will be provided with office space in the Library.
The John Hay Library is home to Brown University’s remarkable collections of rare books, manuscripts, and archival material. The Hay’s collections include more than three million items that range from 2000 BCE Babylonian clay tablets, Egyptian papyri, medieval manuscripts and early printed incunabula to contemporary literature, ephemera and digital materials, with the bulk of its holdings dating from the 16th through 20th centuries. The Library’s holdings feature a wide and diverse range of materials and unique objects pertaining to various areas of study of the Early Modern world, comprising art and architecture, Asian studies, Islamic studies, humanism and Latin writing, vernacular literature in European languages, popular performance (especially theater, fairs, fireworks, and magicana), book arts, printing and publishing history, children’s literature, history of medicine, history of science, military iconography, caricature, festival books and the occult. Information on these and other pertinent Special Collections, can be accessed on the website of the John Hay Library.
The John Hay Library and the Center for the Study of the Early Modern World welcome proposals that engage with the John Hay Library and its collections. Applications will be accepted from 5th and 6th-year graduate students in any discipline of the humanities or social sciences whose dissertation topics fall within the early modern period of 1300-1900. Recently appointed fellows have worked in a variety of fields including Anthropology, English Literature, Italian Studies and Theatre Studies, taking advantage of the Chambers Dante Collection and the John Hay Library’s extensive resources in early modern antiquarianism, in Arabic and Persian literature and in the history of medicine.
In addition to the Interdisciplinary Opportunities application form, applicants should submit a CV and a two-page (double spaced) description of their project along with a bibliography of materials to be engaged with at the Hay. Before submission, applicants should discuss their ideas for this Fellowship with a faculty advisor and William S. Monroe, who will offer guidance on devising an appropriate proposal. The selection of fellows is based on the quality of their research and the strength of the proposed project, which should contribute to the interdisciplinary endeavors of the Center for the Early Modern World at Brown and the John Hay Library, featuring materials from its collections. The fellow will be on a TAship or proctorship for one semester and a fellowship for the other semester. The appointed fellow, who will be expected to be an active participant in the scholarly activities of the Center and the John Hay Library, will communicate regularly with staff at the Hay, interacting with a mentor in the relevant field as well as the Associate University Librarian for Special Collections.
Racial Justice Resource Center. The newly formed Racial Justice Resource Center (RJRC) in the Rockefeller Library is looking for one fellow with interest and/or experience in collection development, exhibit curation, and program development focused on Racial Justice for 2023-24. The fellow will be provided with office space in the Library.
The RJRC will serve as a hub of Racial Justice information for interdisciplinary scholarly engagement for the Brown University campus. The fellow will serve the Brown community in developing collections, exhibitions, and programming related to racial justice. This fellowship will be of interest to students who are interested in expanding knowledge of the history of racial justice, public engagement, and exhibit development.
Possible responsibilities include contributing to the development of secondary resources collection integrating racial justice, developing content for physical and digital exhibitions, planning and implementing public events, engaging with campus and community partners. Applicants are welcome to contact the DEI director before applying to discuss the opportunity.
At the conclusion of the fellowship, the fellow will submit an evaluation of their experience, reflecting on substantive issues, needs and capabilities that might be appropriate for the Library’s future work with other graduate students and faculty in their research endeavors. The contact person for this program is Kenvi Phillips, Director of Library Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.