The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences is pleased to sponsor the University of Iowa's membership in the Newberry Library Center for Renaissance Studies. The Center is an international consortium of 37 research universities with the mission of serving scholars “through the use of the Newberry’s internationally renowned collections in the late medieval and early modern periods.”

Through the UI’s membership in the consortium, funding is available to support scholarly work at the Newberry Library (Chicago) or the Folger Shakespeare Library (Washington, DC).

The College's Newberry Committee makes the Judith Popovich Aikin Award for Renaissance Studies. In 2006, the award was given to Professor Gina Bloom for travel to the Folger Library.

Who?
UI faculty, graduate students, and professional staff are eligible to apply for funding. The Committee sponsors a local list-serve for faculty and graduate students who want to hear of this and other opportunities; please contact Professor Constance Berman to be added to this list.

Highest priority is reserved for (1) scholars participating in a program sponsored by the Newberry Center or the Folger Institute and (2) those conducting medieval or early modern research that requires the resources of the Newberry or Folger libraries. Others seeking support for medieval or early modern research also are invited to apply for funding from the committee. Recent awards include funds for travel to the summer Paleography seminar and the Book Studies Colloquium and support for research at the Newberry on opera libretti.

The Aikin Award
This Fall, a competition for the $2000.00 Judith Popovich Aikin Award in Renaissance Studies is being held. Applications are due November 1, 2007. There is no special application form but the committee asks interested scholars to include in their application the following:

• a short CV (no more than two pages)
• A statement of purpose for a research trip contain a brief description of the project and specifying resources to be consulted.
• travel dates for the planned trip.
• graduate students' applications must include a letter of endorsement from a faculty adviser.

Applications and inquiries should be addressed to the chair of the committee, Constance Berman (History). Applications are reviewed by a faculty committee appointed by the Dean of the College. Current members in addition to Professor Berman are Glenn Ehrstine (German), Robert Ketterer (Classics), and Alvin Snider (English).

Other Awards
Other awards are made on an on-going basis, but the committee encourages applications a semester in advance. Proposals sent by the November 1 Aikin Award deadline will be most competitive for other awards. Faculty scholars visiting the Newberry to participate in a conference or conduct research are usually reimbursed as follows.

Transportation up to $100 per carload or per person flying
Lodging up to $100 per night (with receipts)
Meals up to $40 per day ($8 breakfast/$12 lunch/$20 dinner, with receipts)

The same rates apply for the Folger, with the likelihood of a higher transportation allowance. All expenditures must be documented to the satisfaction of the committee and the Newberry Library business office. Incidental expenses (e.g., photocopying) are not covered.

Whenever possible, more substantial support is provided for participants in long-term Newberry and Folger seminars.

Graduate Student awards are limited to $300.00 for a single trip, or $500.00 for a series of trips.

After?
Funding recipients agree to email a report on their use of the funds and their research trip to the committee chair. Resulting publications should acknowledge the assistance provided by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at The University of Iowa through its affiliation with the Newberry Library Center for Renaissance Studies.