Horatio Alger Society Fellowship for the Study of American Popular Culture, NIU Libraries
The NIU Libraries, with funding provided by the Horatio Alger Society, offer a fellowship to scholars who wish to come to NIU to conduct research using the libraries’ major holdings in American popular culture. These holdings include the nation’s preeminent collections related to Horatio Alger, Jr., and Edward Stratemeyer. The Albert Johannsen and Edward T. LeBlanc Collections of over 50,000 dime novels and the complementary Merriwell Collection are also eligible for research under this fellowship. Other possible collections for examination include our comic books, science fiction and fantasy literature, Lovecraft Collection, and the American Popular Literature Collection.
Scholars from disciplines such as English, American studies, history of the book and print culture, US history, communications, and rhetoric might consider applying for this award. Our popular culture collections allow access to the ideologies and practices of publishers, writers, and readers from the middle of the 19th century to the late 20th century. Previous research topics include reader response, the plight of urban children, images of the American West in popular literature, widespread use of pseudonyms, and stereotypical portrayals. The fellowship provides up to $2,000 to one visiting scholar.
Fellowship Terms and Expectations:
Fellows will present a talk for NIU, either in person or virtually, on the results of their research within one year of completing the fellowship.
Fellows will be encouraged to deposit scholarship resulting from the fellowship into the Huskie Commons institutional repository: https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/.
Fellows will credit the Endowment and NIU Libraries in publications resulting from their research.
NIU Libraries will provide a workspace in the library.
Library faculty and staff will provide research assistance to the fellows.
Eligibility: Faculty members, independent scholars, graduate students, and librarians currently based in or outside the United States are eligible to apply. For non-US-based international scholars, NIU Libraries will provide a letter of invitation that the visiting scholar may use for administrative purposes. However, the awarded scholar is responsible for travel arrangements, including any requirements related to travel and residency documentation, fees, taxes, transportation, and accommodations.
To apply for the 2025–26 fellowship, fill out this form by 15 May 2025.