Library Company of Philadelphia Postdoctoral Fellowships
Each year the Library Company awards long-term postdoctoral fellowships that support advanced research in residence in the collections of the Library Company and our Fellowships Program partner, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Scholars at any stage of their career are welcome to apply.
Opportunities are described below; the application portal is available here.
Program in African American History (PAAH) Mellon Scholars Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
Program in African American History (PAAH) Postdoctoral Fellowships promote research in the Library Company’s collections to enhance the production of scholarly work in African American history (broadly defined) of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Applicants may also make clear how the collections of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, our Fellowships Program partner, will support their research.
The stipend is $55,000 for the academic year (September 1 through May 31). Fellows must reside in the Philadelphia area for the duration of their fellowship. Scholars at any stage of their career are welcome to apply. Applicants must hold a PhD by September 1 of the year of residency. While applicants may be citizens of any country, the Library Company is not able to provide visa sponsorship.
Program in Early American Economy and Society (PEAES) Postdoctoral Fellowship
Program in Early American Economy and Society (PEAES) Postdoctoral Fellowships support research in the collections of the Library Company, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and other nearby institutions into the origins and development of the early American economy, broadly conceived, to roughly 1850. The fellowships provide scholars the opportunity to investigate such topics as history of commerce, finance, technology, manufacturing, agriculture, internal improvements, and economic policy making.
The stipend is $55,000 for the academic year (September 1 to May 31) or $27,500 for the fall or spring semester. Fellows must reside in the Philadelphia area for the duration of their fellowship. Scholars at any stage of their career are welcome to apply. Applicants must hold a PhD by September 1 of the year of residency. While applicants may be citizens of any country, the Library Company is not able to provide visa sponsorship.
Applications
Applications for the 2026-27 postdoctoral fellowships cycle will be accepted from September 1, 2025, until the submission deadline of January 16, 2026. Decisions will be announced no later than April 1, 2026.
Applicants may submit a single application to be considered for all long-term postdoctoral fellowships for which their projects are eligible.
For full application instructions, visit this page.
For more information
For general information about fellowships and application procedures, contact Fellowships Manager Max Moeller (fellowships@librarycompany.org).
For more information about the PEAES award, contact PEAES Program Director Dr. Jessica Roney (jcroney@librarycompany.org).
For more information about the PAAH award, contact PAAH Program Director Jim Downs (jdowns@librarycompany.org).
