Providence Public Library is now accepting applications for a Digital Humanities Fellow to work with the Library’s Nicholson Whaling Collection. The Library has embarked on a digital project focused on the 1887 voyage of the Eunice H. Adams, captained by William Martin, a Black whaling master. (More information is available on the project site, currently in draft form.) Thanks to funding from the Papitto Foundation, the Library will be selecting a digital humanities fellow to work with existing images and data from the collection to create additional material (resources, visualizations, etc.) that illuminates the voyage and will be published via the project’s Scalar site. This opportunity is particularly suited to work that analyzes economic and labor issues, because many of the records available are financial or relate to crew accounts, but all approaches are welcome.

Award: 

• $4,000, paid in four installments over the course of the project

Application Requirements & Deadlines:

• The fellowship is open to scholars at all stages of their careers
• BIPOC candidates are strongly encouraged to apply, in accordance with guidelines from the granting organization
• A successful candidate will have a background in at least one of the following areas: data analytics, data visualization, GIS, statistics or related fields
• Priority consideration will be given to applications submitted by October 22, 2023
• Applicants should submit the following:
  • A written proposal (500 words or less) outlining the broad direction of their project and demonstrating an awareness of the historical and cultural context of the subject matter
  • 1-3 professional references
  • Examples and/or links to previous work if available
• The project work timeframe is November through February, with opportunities to present on their work during the Library’s 2024 spring exhibition and programming series
• The fellow may have the opportunity to work with student and/or community curators involved with the 2024 spring exhibition and programming series
• This fellowship may be conducted remotely

Data available:

• Digitized logbook of the 1887 voyage
• Weather data (wind direction and force, latitude/longitude, date, etc.) extracted from the logbook
• Digitized archival records from the voyage, including crew lists and agreements, correspondence, bills and invoices, etc. (View archival finding aid here.)

How to submit proposals:

Submit proposal and accompanying material or questions about this project by email to jgoffin@provlib.org