Public Humanities Fellow Job at Newberry Library in Chicago

Job Description

Job Description

TO APPLY : Interested candidates should attach a cover letter and resume / CV, both as PDF documents, to their application in the Newberry Career Center. Applications sent without both a resume and cover letter will not be considered. To be considered for this role, applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable to apply for a job on this site because of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodation by contacting us through the Jobs email link listed on the Newberry Career Center page.

ABOUT THE NEWBERRY : The Newberry collection—some 1.6 million books, 600,000 maps, and 5 million manuscript pages—is a portal to more than six centuries of human history, from the Middle Ages to the present. We connect researchers and visitors with our collection in the Newberry’s reading rooms, exhibition galleries, program spaces, classrooms, and online digital resources.

Since its founding in 1887, the Newberry has remained dedicated to deepening our collective understanding of ourselves and the world around us. As individuals engage with Newberry collections and staff, they discover stories that bridge the past and present and illuminate the human condition.

The Newberry’s community of discovery is driven by a shared commitment to promoting research, inspiring learning, and using inquiry across the humanities as a tool to engage critically in a vibrant democratic society.

SUMMARY : The Public Humanities Fellow will support Beyond Belief : Religion and Social Change in 1960s Chicago , a five-year initiative funded by Lilly Endowment, Inc. This groundbreaking project explores the intersections of religion, social movements, and the history of Chicago, deepening both public and scholarly understandings of how religion has shaped the city. Reporting to the Project Director of the Beyond Belief Initiative, the Fellow will oversee activities related to research, scholarly convenings, and the development of educational resources. In addition to conducting their own research using the Newberry’s extensive collections, the Fellow will work with diverse academic and public audiences to expand the initiative’s reach and impact. This is a grant-funded position that will end in December 2029.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Serve as a liaison to scholars and academic partners, fostering innovative research on religion and social change in Chicago;
• Plan and coordinate scholarly convenings and seminars focused on themes of religion and social change in mid-20th century Chicago, bringing together scholars at varying career stages and key Newberry staff members;
• Conduct original research in the Newberry’s collections and contribute to the creation of new research aids and;
• Author content for The Newberry Magazine , Newberry blogs, and other publications aimed at public audiences;
• Develop and conduct community archival training workshops, including but not limited to creating curriculum and identifying facilitators;
• Collaborate with the Project Director on the curation of a Beyond Belief exhibition;
• Collaborate with the Teacher Programs department to develop professional development workshops for local educators and create open-access curricular resources grounded in primary sources;
• Participate in the development of oral history interview frameworks and guidelines and assist in conducting interviews with community members;
• Support public programming aspects of the initiative;
• Update the Beyond Belief webpages;
• Evaluate scholarly components of the initiative, including participant feedback and qualitative impact assessment;
• Perform other duties assigned, supporting the advancement of the initiative.

QUALIFICATIONS :

SCHEDULE : This is a full-time, exempt position, working 35 hours per week, with normal hours generally from 9 : 00 AM-5 : 00 PM, Monday through Friday. Work outside of these hours will be required. The incumbent primarily will work onsite with the possibility of remote work based on Newberry policy.

Application review will begin February 24, 2025; however, applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

BENEFITS : For more information, please see the "What We Offer" section on the Newberry Careers page.

THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

View our statement concerning our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion here.