The National Endowment for the Humanities Post-Doctoral Fellowship supports research in residence at the Library Company on any subject relevant to its collections, which are capable of supporting research in a variety of fields and disciplines relating to the history of America and the Atlantic world from the 17th through the 19th centuries.

 

The Library Company’s Program in Early American Economy and Society (PEAES) Post-Doctoral Fellowship supports research into the origins and development of the early American economy, broadly conceived, to roughly 1850. It provides scholars the opportunity to investigate the history of commerce, finance, technology, manufacturing, agriculture, internal improvements, economic policy-making, and other topics in the numerous collections of research institutions in the Philadelphia region.

 

Applicants for either fellowship must hold a Ph.D. Mid-career and senior scholars are particularly urged to apply. The fellowships are tenable from September 2008 through May 2009, but the awards may both be divided between two applicants, each of whom would spend a semester in residence. The stipend is $40,000, or $20,000 per semester if the award is divided. Candidates are strongly encouraged to inquire about the appropriateness of the proposed topic before applying. The Library Company's newly renovated Cassatt House fellows' residence offers rooms at reasonable rates, along with a kitchen, common room, and offices with internet access, available to resident and non-resident fellows at all hours.

 

THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS IS NOVEMBER 1, 2007 with a decision to be made by December 15. To apply send seven copies each of a brief résumé, a two- to four-page description of the proposed research, two letters of reference, and a writing sample on a relevant subject of no more than 25 pages to: Fellowships, Library Company, 1314 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. For more information about the NEH award, email James Green at jgreen@librarycompany.org; for more information about the PEAES award, email PEAES Director Cathy Matson at cmatson@udel.edu.

 

In addition the Library Company offers short-term fellowships under the auspices of PEAES and also jointly with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. The Library Company also offers two long-term dissertation fellowships, one to conduct research on the early American economy under PEAES auspices and the other for research in its collections on any relevant subject. These fellowships have a different deadline, March 1, 2008.

 

THE LIBRARY COMPANY, founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1731, was the largest public library in America until the latter part of the 19th century, and contains printed materials relating to every aspect of American culture and society in that period. It holds over half a million rare books and graphics, including the nation's second largest collection of pre-1801 American imprints and one of the largest collections of 18th-century British books in America. The collections reflect the whole range of early American print culture, including books, pamphlets, and magazines from all parts of the country, as well as books imported from Britain and the Continent. It is especially strong in pre-1880 printed materials relating to the history of women and African-Americans, popular literature, business and banking, popular medicine, philanthropy and reform, education, natural sciences, technology, art, architecture, German Americana, and American Judaica. There are also strong collections of local newspapers and printed ephemera; and the print and photograph collection is rich in images of the Philadelphia region and graphics by local artists. A catalog of rare books and graphics is available at www.librarycompany.org.

 

Through its Program in Early American Economy and Society, the Library Company is augmenting, cataloging, and conserving its collections related to economy and society—including the areas of commerce, business, banking, technology and other fields—and is also compiling a regional survey of related scholarly resources. In addition, the Program sponsors regular seminars, holds conferences involving scholars of the early American economy, publishes monographs and essay collections, and carries out other activities. For more information about PEAES contact Cathy Matson, PEAES Director, at cmatson@udel.edu.

 

The Library Company of Philadelphia

1314 Locust Street

Philadelphia, PA 19107-5698