Each year, 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, and 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, which have a value of up to $6,000 plus transportation costs, are meant to help defray expenses incurred in traveling to and residing in Princeton during the tenure of the grant. The length of the grant will depend on the applicant’s research proposal but is ordinarily between two and four weeks. Library Research Grants can be used from May of the year they are awarded through the following April. In general, the application opens in October and closes in January. Applicants are notified in April. Applications for 2025-2026 will be accepted from October 7, 2024 through  January 15, 2025 at 12pm (NOON) EST.

Grant Funding Sources

The bulk of the research grants are funded through the Friends of the Princeton University Library. Funding for grants may also be supplemented by:

  • The Program in Hellenic Studies, with assistance from the Stanley J. Seeger Fund supports a limited number of Library grants in Hellenic studies.
  • The Elmer Adler Fund supports Research Grants in Graphic Arts, and the Cotsen Children’s Library supports grants in its collection on aspects of children’s books.
  • The Maxwell Fund supports research on materials regarding Portuguese-speaking cultures. 
  • The Sid Lapidus '59 Research Fund for Studies of the Age of Revolution and the Enlightenment in the Atlantic World and covers work using materials pertinent to this topic donated by Mr. Lapidus as well as other also relevant materials in the collections. 

Application Process

Read the FAQ below before beginning the application. 

  • Set up an account in the application system
  • Complete application form
  • Upload a curriculum vitae or resume (Word or PDF) 
  • Upload your Project Narrative (no more than 1,000 words); your narrative should include the relevance to the proposed research of the unique resources found in the Princeton University Library collections 
  • Provide two letters of recommendation; invitations are sent directly from the system to the recommenders
  • Submit your application once all of the items above are received. 

Research Grant FAQ

The Princeton University Library Research Grant is a monetary award to support individuals’ personal research in the library’s special collections. This is not a fellowship and grant recipients are not considered employees of the University during their research visit.

Applicants are urged to consult the Library’s website for detailed descriptions of the materials held by Special Collections, the East Asian Library and the Marquand Library of Art and Archaeology. Applicants should have specific Princeton University Library resources in mind as they prepare their proposals. Applications focused on the general circulating collections and electronic resources of the Princeton University Library will not be considered.

A committee consisting of members of the faculty, the Library staff, and members of the Friends of the Princeton University Library will award the grants on the basis of the relevance of the proposal to unique holdings of the library, the merits and significance of the project, and the applicant’s scholarly qualifications. 

Before Applying for a Grant

After Applying for a Grant

After Being Awarded a Grant

Past Grant Recipients

Name, Title of Project, Area of Research within PUL, Funding Source. Unless otherwise noted, the funding source is the Friends of the Princeton University Library.