The Bodleian Libraries Visiting Fellows Programme
The Libraries encourage research that makes use of Bodleian Special Collections, an outstanding resource for scholarly study and discovery, containing rare printed books, classical papyri, medieval and renaissance manuscripts, literary, political and historical papers, archives, printed ephemera, and maps and music in both manuscript and printed form. Fellowships give applicants from outside of Oxford the opportunity to undertake an uninterrupted period of research with the Bodleian collections.
Applications for the 2017-18 Visiting Fellowships are accepted from 17 October 2016.
Fellowships for Research in the Special Collections of the Bodleian Libraries
Humfrey Wanley Fellowships
Sassoon Visiting Fellowships
Supporting a short period of research into any topic and in any field of study, using the Special Collections of the Bodleian Libraries. These Fellowships may be awarded for a period of up to 3 months. The awards are intended for scholars who have completed the doctorate at the time of application or have attained equivalent experience in employment in higher education or research (e.g., holding a curatorial post in a museum or library). Applications should indicate what archive, manuscript, maps and/or rare book collections or individual items will be consulted.
Successful applicants will be allocated the appropriate named fellowship by the selection committee.
Deadline for applications: 9.00am (GMT), Monday, 5 December 2016
Subject-Specific Fellowships
Bahari Visiting Fellowships in the Persian Arts of the Book
Applications are invited for Fellowships of up to 6 months, for research into the Persian Arts of the Book. Research areas may include but are not limited to studies in Art History, Codicology, Calligraphy, Miniature Painting, the History of Islamic Book Production and Scribal Practices, Manuscript Cataloguing, and the Editing and Translation of Texts. Academics or university staff of at least postdoctoral level or equivalent (e.g., holding a curatorial post in a museum or library) are welcome to apply. The main focus of any research proposal should be on an aspect or aspects of the Bodleian's Persian and Islamic Collections. Applications should include details of the Collections to be consulted and of the larger project that the research visit will support, including planned outcomes.
For a description of the collections, please see: https://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/weston/finding-resources/guides/middleeast.
A glimpse into the collections can be viewed in our online exhibition, Love and Devotion. Basic records of a large part of the Bodleian's Islamic Manuscript Collections may also be found on the Fihrist website.
Deadline for applications: 9.00am (GMT), Monday, 5 December 2016
Byrne-Bussey Marconi Fellowships in the History of Science & Communications
Supporting a short period of research into any aspect of the history of science and communication, using the archive, manuscript and rare book collections of the Bodleian Libraries. Byrne-Bussey Marconi Fellowships may be awarded for a period of up to 4 months. Applications are encouraged from researchers investigating the history and science of wireless communication and the wireless industry. The awards are intended for scholars who hold a doctorate at the time of application or have attained equivalent experience in employment in higher education or research (e.g., holding a curatorial post in a museum or library).
Deadline for applications: 9.00am (GMT), Monday, 5 December 2016
David Walker Memorial Fellowships in Early Modern History
Supporting a period of research into any aspect of Early Modern History, using the archive, manuscript and rare book collections of the Bodleian Libraries. The Fellowships may be awarded for a period of up to 3 months. Research proposals are invited for projects in the study of early modern history, using any of the manuscripts, maps, music and early modern printed materials in the Bodleian Libraries Special Collections. The awards are intended for scholars who hold a doctorate or have attained equivalent experience in employment in higher education or research (e.g., holding a curatorial post in a museum or library).
Deadline for applications: 9.00am (GMT), Monday, 5 December 2016
Albi Rosenthal Visiting Fellowships in Music
Applications are invited for Fellowships of up to 2 months in duration for research into music-related topics, the main focus of which should be on an aspect or aspects of the Bodleian Library's Music collections. Proposals in any relevant area will be considered but projects which would enable the Library to promote a wider appreciation of its Music collections will be especially welcome. Academics or university staff of at least postdoctoral level or equivalent (e.g., holding a curatorial post in a museum or library) are welcome to apply, as are performers or composers of equivalent standing who may, for example, wish to use the collections in support of historically informed performances or other creative projects.
A fuller description of the collections can be found in our subject guide to Music. Practically all the Bodleian's printed music can now be searched via SOLO. Our Music LibGuide provides other finding aids for the music collections, including manuscripts.
Deadline for applications: 9.00am (GMT), Monday, 5 December 2016
Carr-Thomas-Ovenden Visiting Fellowship in English Literature
Scholars who will use the Bodleian’s special collections of literary papers and publications are invited to apply for a Fellowship of 10 weeks in duration (one University of Oxford term). Preference will be given to proposals for research relating to the Romantic period, where the Bodleian’s collection of manuscripts, printed books and secondary literature is remarkable in its strength and depth. The awards are intended for scholars who hold a doctorate at the time of application or have attained equivalent experience in employment in higher education or research (e.g., holding a curatorial post in a museum or library).
In the late 17th century, the Bodleian began to increase its holdings of English literary manuscripts significantly. It is now a collection of international importance, vital for the study of English literature. The collections as a whole form one of the most significant research resources for scholars across the globe, and contain a significant proportion of the world’s cultural heritage.
The collections relating to Percy Bysshe Shelley and his circle rank among the finest in the Bodleian. As well as Shelley’s own papers, the Library houses manuscripts relating to Mary Shelley and her family, and the papers of William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft. These collections include an established selection of manuscripts and printed books founded by the gifts of Lady Shelley in 1893-94 and extended by further purchases and donations; the Abinger papers, the residue of the family collection of Sir Percy Florence Shelley and Lady Shelley at Boscombe, purchased outright in 2004-05 with the generous support of the Carl and Lily Pforzheimer Foundation; and the Lovelace-Byron collection of Byron family papers (deposited at the Bodleian on long-term loan), relating to the poet and his daughter Ada. In addition, the cultural precursors of Romanticism are well-represented through antiquaries’ papers, such as John Aubrey, Elias Ashmole and William Stukeley, and the correspondence and literary papers of William Gilpin.
Deadline for applications: 9.00am (GMT), Monday, 5 December 2016
Collaborative Fellowships
Please note Collaborative Fellowships have different deadlines and application processes, where specified.
Renaissance Society of America Fellowships
- The RSA-Bodleian Library Fellowship
- The RSA-Kress Bodleian Library Fellowship
The Renaissance Society of America (RSA) awards research fellowships to be taken at the Bodleian Libraries. Applicants must be a member in good standing of RSA. The application and grants process for Bodleian-RSA Fellowships is administered by the Renaissance Society of America.
Apply directly to the RSA. Deadline for the RSA-Bodleian Fellowships: Thursday, 10 November 2016
British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (BSECS)-Bodleian Fellowship
Facilitates a one-month research visit by a member of the British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (BSECS) to the Special Collections of the Bodleian Library. The award is supported by the Bodleian Libraries and BSECS and reimburses necessary expenses of up to £1,000 to support research in Oxford during the Fellowship period.
Applicants must be at postdoctoral level or above at the time of application and must be a member in good standing of BSECS. Applications are to be made to the Bodleian Libraries Fellowships Programme. See How to Apply.
Deadline for the BSECS-Bodleian Fellowship: Tuesday, 17 January 2017
Dunscombe Colt Research Fellowship
The Georgian Group and the British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies support a one-month research visit by a member of The Georgian Group to the Special Collections of the Bodleian Library in the University of Oxford. Applications will be considered from candidates seeking to research projects relating to the architecture or material culture (e.g., sculpture) of the long eighteenth century (1660-1840).The award reimburses necessary expenses of up to £1,500 to support research in Oxford during the Fellowship period. Applicants must be of postdoctoral standing or above. The Fellowship must be taken up in the 2017 calendar year.
For more details, see The Georgian Group’s website. Applications are to be made to the Bodleian Libraries Fellowships Programme. See How to Apply.
Deadline for the Dunscombe Colt Research Fellowship: Friday, 27 January 2016
For information on the current Bodleian Visiting Fellows, see Visiting Fellows and Scholars 2016-17.
Terms for Bodleian Visiting Fellowships
- Fellowships will be awarded to enable research in the Special Collections of the Bodleian Libraries.
- Fellows are expected to be in residence in Oxford during the period of the Fellowship.
- Fellowship awards offer funds of up to £1,600 per month for allowable expenses, such as travel, accommodation and subsistence costs, to support a research visit in Oxford. It is the responsibility of each Fellow to ensure that expenses are covered by the funds available. Applicants should be aware that accommodation costs in Oxford may exceed the funds offered.
- Depending on the method of disbursement and your UK tax status, award funds may be subject to UK tax and NI.
Fellows are responsible for ensuring they have the appropriate UK visa to support a research trip in the UK for the duration of the Fellowship. Please note that the Library's ability to offer Fellowships to non-EEA nationals is governed by strict UK visa regulations. To check if you require a UK visa, see the UK Government's website. We strongly suggest that you seek informal advice from us before applying. - An invitation to take up a Fellowship will be made subject to agreement on the dates of the visit. Applicants should indicate their preferred dates on the application form. Bodleian Visiting Fellowships should be taken up during the 2017-18 academic year, between 1 August 2017 and 31 July 2018 (please note there are different terms for the
- Collaborative Fellowships).
- Applicants are allowed to receive only one Fellowship within a period of five years.
For further information please email Michelle Chew at fellowships@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.
How to apply
Before making an application, please see the Terms for all Fellowships.
Eligibility and Selection Criteria
- Bodleian Visiting Fellowships are intended for applicants external to the University of Oxford.
- Applicants for Fellowships should either hold a doctorate at the time of application, or should indicate equivalent qualification in their field of research (e.g., holding a curatorial post in a museum or library).
- Non-EEA applicants are reminded that if they require a visa in order to take up a Fellowship in the UK, they are responsible for securing the appropriate UK visa and, once a proposal has been accepted, award of the Fellowship will be conditional on fulfilling this requirement. Check the UK Government's website to see if you require a UK visa.
- Applicants should carefully consult the descriptions provided for each named Fellowship, which define any special topics or other criteria and the length of visit supported. Applications will be considered for research visits of any duration from one month up to the maximum offered by each Fellowship.
In every case, the Selection Committees will consider applications according to the following criteria:
- The potential of the candidate to contribute to the research culture of the Libraries and the University
- The demonstrated need to consult specific items or collections within the Bodleian Libraries' Special Collections
- The potential of the project to increase public understanding of the materials consulted, through publication or public dssemination, or to develop innovative research methods for the study of these materials.
To Apply
- Note the application deadline for each Fellowship:
- RSA-Bodleian Fellowships: 10 November 2016
- Bodleian Visiting Fellowships: 5 December 2016 (applications to be received by 9.00am GMT)
- BSECS-Bodleian Fellowship: 17 January 2017
- Dunscombe Colt Research Fellowship: 27 January 2017 - Specify the name of the Fellowship on all application documents. Complete an application form for each Fellowship (except the Humfrey Wanley and Sassoon Visiting Fellowships where applications to either will automatically be considered for both). Note that applications for RSA-Bodleian Fellowships must be made directly to the Renaissance Society of America.
- See individual descriptions for any qualification criteria or topic restrictions. Indicate the preferred dates for the visit. An invitation to take up a Fellowship will be made subject to agreement on the visit dates and fulfilment of any UK visa requirement.
- Submit the completed application documents (as specified below) to the email address or postal address given below.
Application documents
Applications for all Bodleian Visiting Fellowships (including the BSECS-Bodleian Fellowship and Dunscombe Colt Research Fellowship) must include:
- A completed application form. Please use one of the following:
- Microsoft Word Macro-Enabled document: To be able to enter and save your information in the application form, download and 'Save as' a Microsoft Word Macro-Enabled document. Complete the form and submit with the rest of your application; or
- PDF document: Download, complete and scan with the rest of your application. - A curriculum vitae
- A proposal for research to be carried out in the Special Collections of the Bodleian Libraries during the term of the Fellowship (1,000 words maximum). Applicants should indicate how the proposed study advances their own research goals and satisfies any particular aims of that Fellowship. Please see the descriptions of each Fellowship for any special criteria or for specific topics related to each award.
- Two letters of recommendation from the academic referees named in the application form. Applicants should ask the referees to comment on their professional knowledge of the applicant and the contribution the proposed research would make to scholarship. The referees should be asked to send their letters directly to the Visiting Fellows Programme, Bodleian Libraries, by email to fellowships@bodleian.ox.ac.uk or by post to the address below, to arrive by the application deadline.
Each document must be sent as an individual pdf or Word file. Do NOT combine all the documents into one file.
Please note: Emailed applications and letters of recommendation MUST bear the subject line: Visiting Fellowships Applications - Send all application documents by email or post to:
Email - fellowships@bodleian.ox.ac.uk
Post
Visiting Fellows Programme
Bodleian Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG
UK
To APPLY click "Further official information" below and fill the application form.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/csb/fellowships