Direct from the source. Students, educators, and researchers from around the world are invited to explore primary sources from our collections. Make a research appointment or explore short-term fellowships below.
Research
The Boston Athenaeum collections are available, by appointment, for researchers needing primary sources. Find out how to make a research appointment.
Book Conservation Fellowship
Two fellowship positions are available each year and are funded through the generosity of David Driscoll and the Michael and Louisa von Clemm Foundation.
Fellowships
The Boston Athenaeum offers short-term fellowships to support the use of our collections for research, publication, curriculum and program development, or other creative projects.
Each fellowship pays a stipend for a residency of twenty days (four weeks) and includes a year’s membership to the Boston Athenaeum. Scholars, graduate students, independent scholars, teaching faculty, and professionals in the humanities as well as teachers and librarians in secondary public, private, and parochial schools are eligible. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or foreign nationals holding the appropriate U.S. government documents.
If interested, complete this fellowship application form. Deadlines and additional application instructions for individual fellowships are included below.
The Driscoll Family & von Clemm Fellowship in Conservation
Each year the Boston Athenaeum’s Conservation Laboratory hosts a fellow selected from recent graduates of the Bookbinding Program* at the North Bennet Street School. This year-long opportunity consists of two, consecutive, six-month fellowships made possible by the generosity of the Driscoll Family† and the von Clemm Foundation‡.
Focusing primarily on book conservation, recipients learn to apply and build upon their skills under the guidance of the Athenaeum’s professional conservators, while also gaining knowledge in the responsible stewardship of special collections. Past fellows have secured positions at some of the most prestigious cultural heritage institutions in the country or have gone on to enroll in Master of Conservation programs.
*Applicants must be recent graduates from the North Bennet Street School Bookbinding Program.
†Created with a multi-year gift commitment from long-time member and Proprietor David L. Driscoll, The Driscoll Family Fellowship honors the memory of the late Leo E. Driscoll and Virginia M. (“Ginny”) Driscoll. Mr. Driscoll’s stalwart support of the Athenaeum’s conservation efforts is rooted in his belief that “conserving historically significant materials for future generations is central to the mission of the Athenaeum.”
‡Funded by a generous ongoing gift from the Michael and Louisa von Clemm Foundation, the von Clemm Fellowship stems from the vision of former Boston Athenaeum Life Member Louisa von Clemm and her husband Michael. Ms von Clemm, a bookbinder, was drawn to the craft by a desire to create lasting objects that represent and preserve humanity’s collective culture and history. The von Clemm Fellowship has continued this legacy since 2003.
