The Fellowship is an exciting opportunity to acquire skills in reference and research support while also exploring an area of librarianship of mutual interest to the Fellow and the Scholars' Commons Department. In the position, the Fellow works 6-8 hours per week providing reference services with a team of skilled professional staff, librarians, and graduate students. In addition, the Fellow works 4-6 hours a week on a project that will result in a workshop, an exhibit, a report, or other similar tangible output. Throughout the semester, the Fellow will meet regularly with an assigned mentor/supervisor in the department.
Compensation for the Fellowship is approximately $5500.
E. Lingle Craig was a remarkable man who loved his work at the Indiana University Libraries. In 1926, Mr. Craig began working in the "old" library, now Franklin Hall, where as a page he retrieved books from the stacks. He was promoted to "head deskman" in 1930. In 1931 he received a B.A. in Philosophy and Psychology; in 1939 he completed his master's degree at the University of Michigan. That same year he became Head of Circulation at the Indiana University Libraries. It is, however, as Head of Reference that his memory will be most cherished. Through his thoughtful determination and love of the printed word, he developed the reference collections he so valued. In 1970 he served as librarian for General Collections and Psychology and retired as librarian emeritus in 1975.
Mr. Craig died on November 3, 2001, and left a bequest to the IU Libraries; one of the largest contributions ever given. Part of this bequest was designated for an annual fellowship for graduate students pursuing degrees in information and library sciences in the Reference Services Department.
Qualifications:
- Enrolled in IUB ILS program during the course of the fellowship (Spring 2024)
- Completion of Z501 User Tools & Services course (prior to application or enrolled during Fall 2023)
- Strong commitment to pursuing a career in Public Services Librarianship in any type of library as demonstrated through course enrollment, job experience, etc.
- Excellent communication and customer service skills
Application Deadline: *Friday, November 24, 2023, end of day*
To Apply: Submit the following information as e-mail attachments to Leanne Nay, Interim Head of Scholars’ Commons. Please use subject line: Craig Fellowship 2024.
- Cover letter outlining your qualifications for the position and a discussion of the kinds of library public services activities you hope to pursue in your professional career
- One-page outline of your proposed project
- Current resume/CV
- Your availability for a 30 minute in-person interview during business hours from December 4-8, 2023.
Timeline:
- November 24, end-of-day – Application Deadline
- Week of November 27 – Finalists contacted to schedule personal interviews
- Week of December 4 – All interviews completed
- December 15 – Offer made
2022-2023 Madison Cissell
2021-2022 Thi Lettner and James Henry Smith
2020-2021 Mariah Isbell
2019-2020 Not Awarded
2018-2019 Kate Duneman
2017-2018 Amanda Homce
2016-2017 Tessa Withorn
2015-2016 Kaitlin Bonifant
2014-2015 Faith Bradham
2013-2014 Matt Standmark
2012-2013 Li Min Hang
2011-2012 Elizabeth Scott
2009-2010 Devin Becker
2007-2008 Jessica Adamick
2003-2004 Jennifer Burton (Hanson)
2023: Native Foodways Roundtable: Pawpaws and Persimmons in Southern Indiana (Cissell)
2022: Comfort Cabinet with Housing Insecurity Libguide (Lettner)
2022: Metaliteracy Canvas Course (Smith)
2021: Accessibility Assessment of the Scholars' Commons Department (Isbell)
2019: Human Library Event (Duneman)
2016: Assessment and Redesign of Reference Department's Interactions Reporting Form (Withorn)
I truly appreciated the opportunities afforded to me through the E. Lingle Craig Fellowship. During my fellowship, I enjoyed interacting with library users in the Scholars’ Commons, which serves not just IU affiliates but also community members and researchers across the country. This experience greatly enhanced my ability to answer advanced reference questions. My project focused on assessing and redesigning the Reference Department’s interactions reporting form. My hope with this project was to encourage accurate reporting, collect more meaningful and accessible data, and use this data to inform library services. My experience in reference and assessment from this fellowship made me a desirable candidate during my post-MLS job search. I have since gone on to provide robust reference serves and conduct similar assessment projects in my professional career.
~Tessa Withorn, Online Learning Librarian, California State University,Dominguez Hills
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