Fellowship for Digital and Inclusive Excellence
at the UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
a program of the Association of Research Libraries
Wondering about the digital humanities or data science? Concerned about information access and equity? Interested in exploring how digital technologies can help us re-imagine libraries and archives? Explore a future in information!
The Fellowship for Digital and Inclusive Excellence introduces diverse undergraduate students to the work and culture of the contemporary research library and archive. The program focuses on digital stewardship—the care and management of digital information resources over their life cycle, including creation, collection, preservation, access, and use.
The fellowship includes:
- a one-year, paid internship position in a host research library or archive (such as the University of Illinois Library);
- a mentorship program with peers & professionals from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups;
- free membership in a professional organization of the participant's choice;
- a capstone institute at the end of the fellowship year for additional professional development and community building; . . . and more!
To be eligible for this fellowship, you must:
- identify as being from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group, based on the categories outlined by the US Census Bureau or Statistics Canada or Aboriginal (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) people classifications;
- be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States;
- be enrolled as an undergraduate for the duration of the fellowship;
- express an interest in exploring possible career and graduate school options in the library & information science (LIS) or archives field as well as training in diversity, inclusion, and social justice topics; and
- express commitment to the fundamental values and mission of libraries and archives.
Upload a résumé; a 500-word statement of interest; and your undergraduate transcript by April 26th, 2019. Two letters of recommendation should be sent directly to the ARL Program Coordinator for Grants Administration, Mira Swearer, mira@arl.org.
For further details, visit the website of the Association of Research Libraries: https://www.arl.org/focus-areas/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/fellowship-digital-inclusive-excellence
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Internships at the University Library could involve curating archives and special collections materials (including digital collections), creating metadata, developing online exhibits, helping with digitization projects or digital platforms, and/or other efforts related to digital preservation and access. Tasks could include language translation, social media outreach, and more! Interns may be considered for placement in several Library units, including—but not limited to—Preservation Services, the Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University Archives, Illinois and History Collections, Literatures and Languages Library (including Classics), and Scholarly Communications and other units affiliated with the Offices of Digital Strategies and Research.
For general questions about the ARL fellowship, possible internship projects at the University of Illinois Library, and a future in Library & Information Science, please contact Dr. Bonnie Mak, bmak@illinois.edu.
