2021 National Library Fellowships application deadline extended to Friday 29 May, 5pm AEST

National Library of Australia, Canberra

2021 Guidelines

The National Library of Australia, in partnership with its generous sponsors and donors, offers researchers an opportunity to undertake a 12-week residency at the Library. Applicants may work in any field or discipline where the Library’s collections have appropriate depth and breadth to support the desired outcomes. 

Fellowships are available to researchers who require onsite access to the Library’s uniquely held or extensive collections to advance their research towards publication or other public outcomes. Fellowships will:

• contribute to a greater public understanding or knowledge of the Library’s collections
• promote discussion through research which informs and engages contemporary discourse.
• enhance the national and international reputation of the National Library as an institution of major research significance.
• actively promote the research experience and outcomes

Fellowships are open to individuals with research at any stage of development, as well as those undertaking research which forms part of a larger project. When an individual is contributing to a collaborative project, they must demonstrate their own research component.

The period of Fellowship research may lead to longer-term outcomes, rather than immediate publication or public outcomes.  The Library does not expect Fellows to compete a body of work during the residency.

 As part of the residency, all Fellows will benefit from:

• a sustained period of research based on the Library’s collections
• special and supported access to collections 
• access to the Fellows room, with full office facilities and a personal workstation
• copies of collection materials (within reasonable limits and according to access and copyright conditions)

Funded Fellowships will also receive the following financial support:

• an honorarium of AUD $1,000 per week for 12 weeks
• accommodation support of AUD $700 per week for 12 weeks if required (not payable to residents in the Canberra region)
• reimbursement of travel costs equivalent to one return domestic airfare to Canberra (not payable to residents in the Canberra region), subject to substantiation of the expenditure. Reimbursement of international travel is capped at AUD $2,500, and limited to one return flight.

Please note: Fellowships are awarded to an individual. Funding will be paid directly to the individual for the purposes of supporting their Fellowship. Payments are made in two installments in week 1 and week 6 of the Fellowship.  Any other arrangements between the individual and their employer are the individual’s responsibility. As Fellowship support may have tax implications, it is recommended Fellows seek professional financial advice.

Fellowship categories

Up to eight funded Fellowships are available: five are for research on any subject, and three are for particular fields of research. The funded Fellowships available are:

• Three Fellowships supported by the Stokes Family, on any subject
• One Fellowship in memory of Averill Edwards, on any subject
• One Fellowship supported by past and present members of the National Library Council and Patrons, on any subject
• Two Fellowships supported by the Harold S. Williams Trust specifically for research in Japan Studies. Harold S Williams donated his personal collection on Japan and the West to the Library in 1979 and his bequest has enabled the Library to support research using the Japanese language collections or other collections relating to Japan.  
• The Fellowship for research in Australian Literature, supported by Ray Mathew and Eva Kollsman.  A bequest was made to the Library by Eva Kollsman in honour of the Australian poet, dramatist and writer Ray Mathew (1929-2002) to support and promote Australian literary research and writing.   

Additional Honorary Fellowships, which do not include financial support, may also be offered to meritorious applicants.

You may apply for a funded or Honorary Fellowship, or for both, indicating a willingness to accept an Honorary Fellowship if offered. Honorary Fellowships provide similar collection access and office facilities, and may suit salaried academics receiving support from their universities for study leave or academics whose projects are already funded but access to the collections is critical.

Eligibility

Fellowships are open to:

• Australian residents, including individuals living in Canberra or within easy access to the Library, noting that:
  • Independent scholars from the Canberra region may receive the honorarium, if required, but will not receive accommodation or travel support.
  • Salaried academics from the Canberra region are eligible only for Honorary Fellowships.
• International residents providing they are eligible to apply for a visa. International residents will be responsible for securing their visas.

You cannot apply if:

• your research forms part of any educational assessment including a PhD thesis or Masters project
• you have received a Fellowship at the National Library within the last 5 years
• your research is towards writing a literary work. These projects are supported through the National Library’s Creative Arts Fellowship for Australian Writing.

Completing the application forms

Applications must be submitted using the online application form. Hardcopy or offline applications will not be considered.

Applications close on 5pm, Friday 29 May 2020, Australian Eastern Standard Time. Late applications or support material will not be accepted. You should allow for any time difference, and internet connection or submission issues.  Results of the selection process will be made public by mid-October 2020.

Mandatory fields, and word and file size limits apply. You will not be able to submit your application if the mandatory fields have not been completed or limits are exceeded. You can preview the form before starting an application, which will show you where limits apply. Once started, please save your form regularly. You can save and edit the application, however, no changes are possible after you have submitted.

You may apply for either a funded or an Honorary Fellowship, or both. Ticking the ‘both’ option means you are willing to accept an Honorary Fellowship if offered.

If your research is in one of the Fellowship categories, tick both the type of Fellowship (funded or honorary) and the research field (e.g. Asian studies).  You may nominate for more than one category.

Your application must demonstrate knowledge of the Library’s collections that are relevant to your project. This can be done using the Library catalogue. The Library’s Ask a Librarian service may provide some initial guidance.  Applicants who do not show investigation into how the Library’s collections will support their proposed research will not be selected. Applicants should also demonstrate awareness of any access or rights issues that may apply to access to the selected collection items.  Information about access conditions can be found the catalogue record.

To complete the application, you will need to provide:

• a short biographical statement
• a CV (maximum two A4 pages)
• list of publications or, if you are not a research academic or independent scholar, equivalent professional outcomes (one A4 page maximum)
• proposed start and end dates. Residencies can start anytime from 22 February 2021. Dates are indicative only and will be negotiated and confirmed with successful applicants.
• project proposal including the aims, context, expected short and long term outcomes; and potential benefit to a greater public understanding or knowledge of the collections, and wider scholarship and/or professional practice.
• if applicable, details of other funding sources for the project and why Fellowship funding is required
• a list of the collection materials you wish to access
• timeline and research plan for the residency period
• contact details of three referees. Provide referees with a copy of your application, which you can download or print. Referees will be contacted by the Library after applications have been shortlisted.

Assessment process

National Library staff read and shortlist applications against the eligibility and selection criterion. An independent Fellowships Advisory Committee is provided with the shortlisted applications, as well as a complete list of all applications. Committee members can choose to call into consideration applications that are not on the shortlist. Honorary Fellows are selected equally on merit.

Members of the panel include representatives from the learned Academies, relevant peak bodies, and the Director-General of the National Library.

Decisions will be announced by mid-October 2020. Successful applicants will receive a Letter of Offer and have their names and the Fellowship awarded published on the Library’s website. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email and may request feedback by contacting fellowships@nla.gov.au.

Selection criteria

Applicants should ensure their application addresses the following criteria:

1. an excellent research concept and an innovative approach
2. a capacity for high quality research or scholarship, including a relevant record of publication or professional outcomes
3. the relevance and value of the National Library’s unique, rare or comprehensive collections to support the research outcomes
4. the project’s potential for increasing public knowledge of the National Library’s collections

In assessing against the criteria above, the Fellowships Advisory Committee will consider the:

• quality of the applicant’s research record, relative to opportunity
• strength of the research project
• demonstrated need to make extensive use of, and onsite access to, the National Library’s collections
• feasibility of access to collections based on rights in, and condition of, materials
• clear explanation of research goals and expected progress during the Fellowship
• potential benefit to wider scholarship and/or professional practice, and
• capacity of the applicant to communicate research goals and outcomes to a wider public audience.

What is expected of a Fellow?  

Successful applicants will receive a Letter of Offer along with a Conditions of Appointment agreement that must be signed and returned. These documents outline the terms and conditions under which the Fellowship will proceed.

The Library will negotiate and confirm the residency dates with Fellows.  The duration of the residency is expected to be 12 consecutive weeks.  In exceptional circumstances this may be varied slightly, but no further financial support will be offered.

Funding is paid directly to the individual in weeks 1 and 6 of their Fellowship. As this support may have tax implications, it is recommended Fellows seek professional financial advice.

All intellectual property rights (including copyright) in any work produced by the Fellow during their Fellowship will vest in the Fellow on its creation.

The copyright status of items in the Library’s collection varies. Before downloading, copying, adapting, publishing, distributing or otherwise reusing any of the items found in the Library’s collection, you are responsible for determining the copyright status and terms of use applicable for such items, and checking with and/or obtaining the copyright owner’s consent before using or reproducing such content.

Fellows will be required to:

• give a live-streamed public presentation and a presentation to Library staff (as applicable) that highlights the work undertaken during the Fellowship and research-in-progress
• acknowledge the support of the National Library and the Fellowship donors in forums, presentations and publications resulting from the Fellowship
• assist the Library to promote the Fellowship through media and public communications, including through contributions to social media
• provide a report within one month of the agreed end date of their Fellowship outlining their experience, which will inform Council and the Fellowships Advisory Committee
• support the Library’s donor relations activities.

Fellows are encouraged to inform the Library of any research outcomes of the residency, and deposit material in the Library’s collection if appropriate.  An annual alumni email is sent to Fellows seeking updates on research outcome of their residency.

For more information or assistance, contact: fellowships@nla.gov.au