Enhance your research with a placement of up to six months at the largest library in the world.
Opportunities now exist for current AHRC/ESRC-funded PhD students, research assistants and early career researchers (ECR), including those at an LBAS Centre, to undertake short-term placements at the Library of Congress (LoC), as part of the AHRC/ESRC International Placement Scheme (IPS).
Due to the breadth and depth of their collections, The LoC is not limited to those researching American studies. With over 151 million items on 838 miles of bookshelves and 10,000 new items added daily, you are sure to find material relevant to your research.
About the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (opens in a new window) is the USA's oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts in its collections.
AHRC IPS fellows will be based at the John W Kluge Center (opens in a new window), located within the LoC. The Kluge Center occupies inspirational study and meeting spaces within the Library's magnificently restored Thomas Jefferson Building, for scholars from across the world with a shared interest in exploiting the extensive collections held by the LoC.
Potential applicants can access the Library of Congress collection catalogue (opens in a new window).
Information about the Library of Congress Classification outline (opens in a new window).
The Library of Congress would particularly welcome applications that make use of its Motion Picture and Recorded Sound collection as well as its foreign language materials.
LoC overview by AHRC LoC Alumni
Gemma Mitchell (opens in a new window), PhD student, University of Strathclyde, 2011/12 AHRC LoC Fellow
Peter West-Oram (opens in a new window), PhD student, University of Birmingham, 2011/12 AHRC LoC Fellow
Dr Bohdan Piasecki (opens in a new window), PhD student, University of Warwick, 2008 AHRC LoC Fellow
About the AHRC International Placement Scheme
The AHRC IPS scheme runs annually. For 2013/14, placements are available for eligible AHRC/ESRC* award holders at:
* ESRC award holders are currently eligible to apply to The Library of Congress (LoC), but not the other IPS institutions.
IPS fellowships are for three to six months (Sarai is capped at 3 months).
Successful applicants will receive a contribution towards their flights costs, plus a monthly allowance of £1000, in addition to their normal monthly stipend/salary paid as part of their existing AHRC/ESRC* award.
More information on the IPS scheme is available in this AHRC presentation (opens in a new window).