Last summer we hosted the first three Houghton Library undergraduate fellows in their work as they wrote an opera, recorded podcasts, and filled gaps in the literature with archival research. Now, in partnership with the Harvard Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships and their Summer Humanities and Arts Research Program (SHARP), we are looking forward to a new cohort of fellows and their inspiring pursuits. Applications for this competitive fellowship opportunity are currently being accepted, but the window to apply is closing quickly–applications are due Wednesday, February 24, 2016 (please note this is a two day extension from the originally advertised due date). Applications open on the SHARP website. For more details, see our website.
We are additionally excited to announce a new fellowship opportunity for this coming summer. Houghton Library and Thornwillow Press are collaborating to offer a summer fellowship for Harvard College undergraduates interested in book arts, fine printing, and publishing. The Houghton-Thornwillow fellow will spend six weeks at Houghton Library pursuing a project related to a book arts topic with guidance from Houghton librarians and curators. Topics could include altered books, artist’s books, book binding, book forms, bookmaking, hand press, illustration, letterpress, paper engineering, paper making, print-making, typography, and more. The project’s focus should be placed on primary source material in Houghton’s collections. Fellows will spend the following six weeks in residence at Thornwillow Press in Newburgh, New York, where they will have the opportunity to explore the workings of an active press and bindery. This hands-on experience should function as an extension of the work begun at Houghton Library. Paired with Thornwillow staff, fellows may focus on one or multiple aspects of fine press publishing, including editing, graphic design, marketing, printing, binding, and paper making. Each portion of the fellowship will be tailored to the fellow’s interests. Applications are due on Friday, March 18th. More details and information about the application process may be found here. We can’t wait to see the work that will come out of this exciting new fellowship!