Catherine H. Schappert
Research Fellowship Program

The Catherine H. Schappert Research Fellowship Program supports short-term research using the collections of the State Library of Pennsylvania through a partnership with the State Library of Pennsylvania. The program aims to support unique or outstanding projects that might only succeed through on-site accessibility of the State Library’s collections.

Program Purpose

The fellowship’s overall purpose is to:

Foster research that uses the collections of the State Library
Encourage the study of Pennsylvania history
Develop specific in-depth research that adds to the understanding of Pennsylvania’s history, people, cultures, traditions, communities, and regions
Promote the collections of the State Library

Stipends & Research Calendar

Stipends are awarded in amounts up to $1500, and up to three applicants may be selected annually. A selected applicant will need to provide full contact information along with a Social Security number as a condition of participation. This information is needed to comply with federal tax law and reporting to the IRS and will be kept in strict confidence. Research conducted in coordination with other funded research is permitted and encouraged. Selected applicants will be required to sign an agreement detailing the terms and conditions of their research fellowship.

Fellowships may last up to four weeks and may begin June 1. All on-site research at the State Library must be completed by Sept 30. Prior to applying, researchers should discuss their research plans with the appropriate State Library staff to identify which library resources would be most relevant, accessible, and available. The applicant shall include a plan detailing how their research will be shared and promoted through print or online publication, news media outlets, film, in-person presentations, or other means. All such publication and/or promotions shall acknowledge the State Library of Pennsylvania for providing resources and the 1745 Library Foundation for financial support.

Stipends will be dispersed in the following manner:

Upon commencement of on-site research at the State Library, the researcher will receive two-thirds of the agreed-upon stipend.
After the researcher submits the required report and bibliography to the 1745 Library Foundation and to the State Library of Pennsylvania, the final one-third of the agreed-upon stipend will be disbursed.

Application Process

Every effort has been made to streamline and simplify the online application process which consists of:

Research Proposal Narrative (1,000 words or less)
Curriculum Vitae
Reference Letter from researcher’s institution or organization
Letter of Recommendation from someone familiar with the applicant's research

Some questions may be answered on our FAQ page (...). Otherwise, please submit any questions you may have to (...)

Conditions of the fellowship award will be incorporated into the research agreement and all agreements are contingent on the availability of funds.

Selection Process

Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis. The selection committee is comprised of Foundation Board Members, State Library staff, and selected members from the library profession.

The Selection Criteria includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Viability of the project and identification of the State Library collections to be used
How strongly the research proposal connects with fellowship’s purpose
Clarity of the proposal
Workability of the researcher’s plan for dissemination of their findings
Alignment with other sources of funding

Timeline

(DATE) – Deadline for applications
(DATE) – Selection process concludes

(DATE) – Notification of decisions concludes
(DATE) – Research agreements executed

(DATE) – Research visits begin
(DATE) – Research visits end
(DATE) – Researcher bibliography, reports, and dissemination plans are due to the 1745 Library Foundation and the State Library of Pennsylvania

Eligibility

Eligible individuals are those engaged in professional research that expands understanding of Pennsylvania including its history, people, cultures, traditions, communities, and regions, and whose research could benefit from on-site access to the collections and resources of the State Library of Pennsylvania. This includes historians, graduate and undergraduate students conducting research for an article, book, thesis, dissertation or other forms of publication/dissemination. Also included are academic, special, public, and K-12 librarians along with writers, independent researchers, filmmakers, and local historians.

The 1745 Library Foundation and the State Library of Pennsylvania do not discriminate based on sex, race, creed, age, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability. Individuals with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation to participate in the program should contact the Pennsylvania TDD relay service at (800) 654-5984 to discuss their needs or send an email to (...)

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