About the Program

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress and the Royal Archives at Windsor invite scholars to conduct research as part of the Georgian Papers Programme(GPP) of the Royal Archives at Windsor, and in the George Washington Papers of the Library of Congress. On October 24, 2016, the Library of Congress, the Royal Collection Trust, and King’s College London signed a memorandum of understanding, agreeing to share resources concerning the digitization of the papers of King George III (1738-1820), the English monarch in power when the American colonies declared independence. The Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture and William & Mary are the primary U.S. partners for the GPP. The Library of Congress joins the Sons of the American Revolution and the Mount Vernon Ladies Association as a critical part of the American collaboration. The objective of the Georgian Papers Fellowship award is to allow fellows the opportunity to pursue independent research in the Royal Archives and the Library of Congress, as well as to support the related work of the Georgian Papers Programme.

Established in 2000 through an endowment of $60 million from John W. Kluge, the Kluge Center is located in the splendid Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress. The Center furnishes attractive work and discussion space for Kluge Chair holders, for distinguished visiting scholars, and for post-doctoral Fellows supported by other private foundation gifts. Residents have easy access to the Library’s specialized staff and to the intellectual community of Washington, D.C.

The Kluge Center especially encourages humanistic and social science research that makes use of the Library’s large and varied collections. Interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, or multi-lingual research is particularly welcome. Among the collections available to researchers are the world’s largest law library and outstanding multi-lingual collections of books and periodicals. Deep special collections of manuscripts, maps, music, films, recorded sound, prints, and photographs are also available. Further information about the Library’s collections can be found on the Library’s website: http://www.loc.gov/rr/.

Eligibility

Independent scholars and writers, doctoral students, and college and university faculty in all disciplines are eligible. Relevant educational information should be supplied in the application.

Tenure & Stipend

Each Georgian Papers Fellow will receive $8,000 from the Kluge Center of the Library of Congress, intended to cover the costs of one month of research at the Royal Archives and one month of research at the Library of Congress.  These stipends will include all costs for travel, housing, and food. Stipends will be paid monthly by the Library of Congress by means of electronic transfer to a U.S. bank account.

Applications

Applicants must submit:

• A completed application form, in English
• A curriculum vitae (maximum 2 pages)
• A single paragraph abstract
• A statement of proposed research (maximum 3 pages)
• A bibliography of works you have consulted for your proposal (maximum 3 pages)
• 3 references with completed reference forms from people who have read the research proposal

Evaluation

A panel of scholars will review your application materials. The panel will consider your application in relation to numerous other proposals. Evaluation criteria will include:

1. The quality of the conception, definition, organization, and description of the project.
2. Application demonstrates the relevance of their project for research in the Georgian Papers at Windsor, and the collections of the Library of Congress.
3. Application demonstrates potential contribution of the project to the relevant field of inquiry.

Due Date

The application deadline for the Georgian Papers Fellowship is January 31, 2018. Application materials must be submitted by the deadline date via the Kluge Center’s online application system.

Language Certification

For applicants whose native language is not English, there must be evidence that the applicant is fluent in English so as easily to conduct research, discuss work with colleagues, and make a public presentation, although the ultimate product of the research may be written in the applicant’s native language. For English speakers who seek to do research in the Library’s foreign language collections, there must be evidence that they have a command of the relevant language or languages at the level requisite for serious research.

Expectations

The Georgian Papers Fellow is to spend one month in residence at the Royal Archives at Windsor and one month in residence at the Library of Congress. The fellow will be strongly encouraged to present their findings at a public program at the end of their tenure. The selectee must begin their residency by December 31, 2018.

Awards

One Georgian Papers Fellowship will be awarded by the Library of Congress. The Award will be announced on March 1, 2018. For overseas Fellows, award letters will address visa questions and include a form which must be filled out and submitted to the Library of Congress to determine tax residency status and the potential for U.S. Federal income tax withholding. Scholars who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents and who do not already have a U.S. Social Security number will be required to obtain either a Social Security or tax identification number, as appropriate, at the start of their fellowship at the Library, regardless of the taxability of their income under this program. Transportation arrangements are the responsibility of each Fellow. Housing is not provided by the Library of Congress. The Library of Congress does not supply health insurance coverage but can provide contacts with commercial providers. Because the United States does not have a national health plan, if a selectee becomes ill or injured during the term of appointment, there is no provision for care.

• For more research opportunities, visit our Fellowships page.