Fellowships

The Lilly Library is accepting applications for fellowships to support travel during the 2026 calendar year. For all types of funding, the collections of the Lilly Library must be integral to your research. There are four types of funding available:

  • The Everett Helm Visiting Fellowships: Funds research on any topic.
  • The Mendel Visiting Fellowship: Funds projects limited to specific subject areas, see below for details.
  • The Pantzer Visiting Scholar in Descriptive Bibliography: Funds bibliographic research projects, see below for details.
  • The BSI Trust Research Fellowships: Funds research into Sherlockian studies that uses the papers of the Baker Street Irregulars (BSI). This fund is administered by the BSI Trust. See the application information.

If applying for the Helm, Mendel, or Pantzer funding, you may also elect to apply for:

  • The American Trust for the British Library (ATBL) Research Fellowship Program

Timeline

Application deadline: September 30, 2025

Notification to applicants: December 2025

Funds must be used:  Between February 1 and December 18, 2026 

The Everett Helm Visiting Fellowships

The Everett Helm Visiting Fellowship program supports research in the collections of the Lilly Library for scholars residing outside the Bloomington area. 

Maximum award: $2500

The Mendel Visiting Fellowships

Established through a bequest by the estate of Johanna Lenz Mendel in 1998, the Mendel Visiting Fellowships are intended to support research in the collections of the Lilly Library by scholars residing outside the Bloomington area in subjects of particular interest to Johanna Lenz Mendel and Bernardo Mendel. These subjects include the history of the Spanish Colonial Empire; Latin American independence movements; European expansion in the Americas; voyages, travels and exploration; geography, navigation and cartography; German literature and history; and music, including sheet music. 

Maximum award: $5000

The Pantzer Visiting Scholar in Descriptive Bibliography

Established through a bequest by the American bibliographer Katharine F. Pantzer, the fellowship supports bibliographical research projects by scholars outside of the Bloomington area for which the Lilly Library collections are essential. Bibliographic projects may cover any time period or format as long as they include analysis of the physical object as historical evidence. Projects may include establishing a text, enumerative bibliography, or studying the history of book or manuscript production, publication, distribution, collecting, reading, or the history of bibliographical study itself.

Maximum award: $2500 

The American Trust for the British Library (ATBL) Research Fellowship Program

Researchers awarded a Lilly Library fellowship, may also choose to be considered for an American Trust for the British Library (ATBL) Research Fellowship to support research at the British Library. If awarded and if you elected to also be considered for an ATBL Research Fellowship, please note that you will be asked to provide a few brief, additional materials to support your application to this additional source of funding. Your application to the Lilly Library will not be impacted by your decision to select or not select this option. See the ATBL web site for lists of past fellows and current competition information. 

How to apply

Candidates are encouraged to inquire about the appropriateness of a proposed topic before applying. Our librarians can help you determine if the Lilly Library holds materials important to your research. Send us a message or email liblilly @ iu.edu with your questions.  

There is no special application form. We ask for:  

  1. A research proposal (up to 3 pages in length). Please include:
  • a clearly stated research project, including goals and/or outcomes of the project,
  • an explanation of the relationship of the Lilly Library’s collections to the project,
  • the length and preferred dates of any visit(s) to the Lilly Library, and  
  • a budget specific to the research proposal which includes travel costs, living and research expenses, and any other source of financial support for this research trip.  
  1. A résumé or curriculum vitae. For graduate students or other researchers whose résumés do not include a list of publications in their fields of research, please send one confidential letter of recommendation. Recommenders should email their letter directly to liblilly @ iu.edu.
  2. Indicate your interest in applying for an ATBL Research Fellowship, if awarded Lilly Library funding.
  3. All application materials should be in English. 

Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Is there a clearly stated project that the research supports, and what are the goals and/or outcomes of the project?
    • This might be a scholarly or creative work. Successful proposals have included scholarly articles and books, dissertations, poetry, creative nonfiction, plays, and documentary films.
  • Is the relationship of the Lilly Library’s collections to the proposed research and project clearly stated and emphasized?
    • It is expected that the collections held by the Lilly Library be integral to the proposed research. In other words, explain why you wish to consult these materials at this library.
    • It is required that the proposal explicitly state which materials are of interest. This may be as part of the narrative or in a list.
    • There are many libraries at Indiana University, including the Lilly Library, and materials for all libraries are found in IUCAT and Archives Online. Please email liblilly @ iu.edu if you’re unsure whether the materials you’re interested in are held by the Lilly Library or another Indiana University library.
  • Does the résumé or curriculum vitae demonstrate successful research experience?
    • This will usually be demonstrated by a list of peer-reviewed publications or a discipline-specific equivalent in their field(s) of research.
  • Does the proposed visit length align with the research to be conducted?
    • Visits are typically a few days to several weeks.
    • Proposed research visits must be scheduled between February and December 2026.
    • The Lilly Library is closed for most US holidays, as well as the last week of July and the December to New Years intercession. Email liblilly @ iu.edu, if you have questions about when we are open.
    • More information is available on the Lilly Library’s Planning your visit page.
  • Is the budget appropriate to the visit?
    • Please account for: travel; accommodation; living expenses; and other research expenses.
    • If you are not familiar with Bloomington, GSA per diem rates may be used to estimate accommodation and living expenses; the Lilly Library’s zip code is 47405.
    • Fellowships may be used to pay for travel and research and research expenses; they do not include an additional stipend for researchers.

Preference will be given to applicants who have not received a Lilly Library fellowship in the past five years.  

By applying for a Lilly Library fellowship, you are giving permission for the IU Libraries to list your name, institution, and project title on our web site and in other public materials, such as a news item or annual report.  

If you’re interested, you may share the results of your research at the Lilly Library via a university blog or social media post. Contact liblilly @ iu.edu for details. 

International applicants

A J-1 visa is required for non-US citizens to accept a Lilly Library fellowship. Please be advised that wait times for visas have increased. Obtaining a J-1 visa can take up to three months, and you should take this into account when planning your research trip.

For more information on visa requirements and processes, see the IU Office of International Services J-1 Visa webpages.

Send your application by post or email to:

Fellowship Committee

The Lilly Library 

Indiana University Libraries 

1200 East Seventh Street 

Bloomington, Indiana 

47405

Email: liblilly @ iu.edu