The Bibliographical Society of the University of Virginia has awarded its twelfth round of Battestin Fellowships, a program of summer fellowships in bibliographical and textual studies, named in honor of Martin Battestin, former Professor of English at UVa, and his wife Ruthe, a literary scholar and member of the Society’s Council. The fellowships are intended to support research in the collections of the UVa Library by UVa graduate students, with an emphasis on physical or textual bibliography. The Society awarded five fellowships of $3,500 each for the summer of 2024. For a list of the 2024 winners, click here.

The fellowships are intended to support research in the collections of the UVa Library by UVa graduate students, with an emphasis on physical or textual bibliography. Three to six Battestin Fellowships have been awarded annually since the program’s inception in 2013.

Proposals may concern books and documents in any field as long as the primary focus is the physical object (in whatever form) as historical evidence. Potential fellowship topics include studies in the history of book production, publication, distribution, reception, or reading; the history of collecting or bibliographical scholarship; and the tracing of a work’s textual history or the establishment of its text from the extant witnesses. Projects that incorporate the application of digital methodologies to the study of books and documents, and their texts, are also encouraged.

Please note: these fellowships do not support projects of enumerative bibliography (i.e. the preparation of lists).

The awards are limited to current UVa students, that is, students who will be continuing their graduate studies at UVa in the following fall semester.

All awarded Fellows are expected to spend at least two months doing research in UVa Libraries and will be expected to provide in September a short report of their findings.

For information about the program and an application, click here.

Questions about the Battestin Fellowships should be sent to Anne Ribble at ar3g@virginia.edu.