Deadline: 14-Jan-2026
The Friends of the Princeton University Library offer short-term Library Research Grants to promote scholarly use of the Princeton University Library special and distinct collections.
Applications will be considered for scholarly use of archives, manuscripts, rare books, other rare and unique holdings in Special Collections, including Mudd Library; as well as rare books in Marquand Library of Art and Archaeology and in the East Asian Library (Gest Collection).
These grants, valued at up to $6,000 plus transportation costs, are designed to help researchers cover expenses related to travel and residence in Princeton during the grant period. The duration of the grant depends on the applicant’s research proposal and typically ranges from two to four weeks.
U.S. citizens must report their grant as income, while non-U.S. citizens will have 30% of their award withheld for taxes. Depending on tax treaties, foreign recipients may recover withheld amounts by filing a U.S. tax return.
As these grants are not faculty appointments, visa sponsorship is not provided, and international applicants are advised to consult their home institutions for visa arrangements.
The bulk of the research grants are funded through the Friends of the Princeton University Library, with additional support from several specialized funds. Another key opportunity under this program is the Will Noel Innovative Cultural Heritage Research Grant, which supports work in line with Noel’s vision.
This fund is intended for cultural heritage professionals to work with Princeton University Library’s Special and Distinctive Collections and the Library IT Digital Studio’s specialized photographic equipment to gain new insights into their collective past.
Successful applicants will be awarded a grant to visit Princeton to conduct research within the holdings, with an emphasis on identifying materials for special photographic investigation.
The Friends of the Princeton University Library seek to fund proposals that explore new, important, and original topics. Projects relying on heavily researched collections are less likely to be supported. Applicants may choose to be contacted by the editor regarding their work.
Previous grant recipients may reapply, though a clear justification for additional support is required, especially if the project is a continuation of earlier research. A new or significantly expanded project proposal stands a better chance of being funded.
Doctoral students, recent doctorates, tenured and non-tenured faculty, and independent scholars from around the world are eligible to apply. Preference is given to applicants whose institutions make it difficult to access Princeton’s resources in person. The program is not open to current affiliates of Princeton University.
The application process requires candidates to create an account in the application system, complete an online form, upload a curriculum vitae or résumé, and submit a project narrative of up to 1,000 words explaining the relevance of Princeton’s collections to their proposed research. Two letters of recommendation must also be provided through the system before the application can be submitted.
Successful applicants may use their grant between May of the award year and the following April. The next application cycle for the 2026–2027 academic year closes on January 14, 2026, at 12 p.m. ET. Applicants will be notified in April.
For more information, visit Princeton University Library.