DLF Forum Fellowships

Together with our generous partners, the Digital Library Federation will offer a number of fellowship opportunities meant to enable attendance of a diverse group of practitioners at the 2018 DLF Forum. We welcome applications from everyone–DLF member affiliation is only required for our DLF Student & New Professional Fellowships.

All fellowships except GLAM Cross-Pollinator (registration-only) Awards will include the following:

• Complimentary DLF Forum registration
• A complimentary room at the conference hotel for three nights (October 14-16)
• Up to $500 in funding for travel and board
• Invitations to special networking opportunities
• The option to present a short lightning talk during the conference

In return, Fellows will be asked to share a brief reflection on their experiences after the Forum. We ask that applicants apply local professional development funding where available, so that we may give as many awards as possible. Not chosen as a fellow this year and no institutional support? A reduced registration rate is available for anyone paying out of pocket to attend the Forum.

The following awards are being offered in 2018:

DLF HBCU Fellowships
ARL+DLF Fellowships
DLF Student & New Professionals Fellowships
DLF Focus Fellowships
GLAM Cross-Pollinator Registration Awards (only covers registration fee)

The deadline to apply for 2018 Fellowships has passed. The DLF Forum Scholarship Committee has already made decisions and notifications have been sent. Please visit the DLF Fellowships page in early 2019 for information about funding for the next Forum. 

DLF HBCU Fellowships: About the Opportunity

Two dozen IMLS-funded HBCU Fellows attended the 2017 DLF Forum as part of a collaboration between the HBCU Library Alliance and the Digital Library Federation. To build on our partnership, DLF will continue to self-fund a limited number of HBCU Fellowships designed to bring practitioners from Historically Black Colleges and Universities to the Forum.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants should be HBCU Library Alliance-affiliated librarians, faculty, and other employees of HBCUs; library practitioners with HBCU backgrounds or experience who work in liberal arts colleges or serve undergraduates in other types of institutions; and current HBCU students interested in library and information careers.

ARL+DLF Fellowships: About the opportunity

The Forum typically achieves good gender balance, both for speakers and attendees—but our project to increase participant diversity and create an ever more inclusive community is an ongoing one. To this end, DLF began partnering with the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) in 2013 to welcome “Forum Fellows from Underrepresented Groups,” now known as the ARL+DLF Forum Fellowships.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants should identify as members of a group (or groups) underrepresented among digital library and cultural heritage practitioners. These include—but are not limited to—people of Hispanic or Latino, Black or African-American, Asian, Middle Eastern, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, First Nations, American Indian, or Alaskan Native descent. Applications from people who could contribute to the diversity of the Forum in other ways are also warmly welcomed.

DLF Students & New Professionals Fellowships: About the opportunity

The DLF warmly welcomes newcomers to the profession and new voices to our community and the Forum. To that end, once again this year, we will independently fund a number of DLF Forum Fellowships for Students and New Professionals. The Forum is an excellent place to learn about the latest advances in digital librarianship and allied fields, to meet new colleagues and contacts, and to get involved with DLF interest groups and initiatives.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must come from a current DLF member institution. The following full- or part-time individuals are eligible:

• Library employees (regardless of employment classification) at DLF member institutions who have been in the profession for fewer than 3 years, and whose work is wholly or predominantly related to the creation, maintenance, and/or use of digital libraries.
• Graduate and undergraduate students at DLF member institutions who make a significant contribution to a digital library endeavor and who may be considering a digital library career.

DLF Focus Fellowships: About the opportunity

If you’re looking to focus (or re-focus!) your efforts on a particular project, subject, or goal, attending the Forum is a great way to expand your knowledge and make connections. These DLF-funded awards support established professionals in their pursuit of career growth and development.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants should identify as mid-career library professionals. We define “mid-career” broadly and intend for this fellowship to support those who would not be eligible for our Students and New Professionals Fellowship or other funding targeted at early-career professionals.  Eligible applicants for this award are likely to consider themselves fairly well-established in their careers. Applications from people who could contribute to the diversity of the Forum are especially warmly welcomed.

GLAM Cross-Pollinator Registration Awards: About the opportunity

Museum and library staff face similar challenges in the digital landscape, and yet have too few opportunities to come together. Through partnerships with other GLAM organizations, we strive to bring new voices and perspectives to our Forum and to send accomplished DLF practitioners to valuable conferences they might not otherwise visit. In 2018, DLF will continue its tradition of “cross-pollination” with the art museum community, offering complimentary registration to a representative from each of our partners: AIC (the American Institute for Conservation), MCN (the Museum Computer Network), and VRA (the Visual Resources Association). Note: this award covers registration only, and does not include additional funding for other costs associated with attendance.

With thank to the Kress Foundation for its 2016-17 support of this program and of the DLF Museums Cohort, and to our partners at AIC, MCN, and VRA for making reciprocal registration awards available in the coming year!

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for these registration awards, an applicant must be a member in good standing of one of the three organizations listed above. Special consideration will be given to professionals working in art museums or with art collections. Later in 2018, DLF-affiliated individuals will have the opportunity to apply for free registration at each partner conference. Check back for details!

To Apply

The deadline to apply for 2018 Fellowships has passed. The DLF Forum Scholarship Committee has already made decisions and notifications have been sent. Please visit the DLF Fellowships page in early 2019 for information about funding for the next Forum.