The Council of the Friends of the Princeton University Library invites students enrolled in all departments of Princeton University’s Graduate School to compete for the 2009 Prize for Outstanding Scholarship by a Graduate Student. This prize of $2,000 will be awarded for an essay based on research in one or more of the nine divisions of the Library’s Department of Rare Books and Special Collections—Manuscripts, Rare Books, Graphic Arts, Cotsen Children’s Library, Numismatics, Historic Maps, Western Americana, Public Policy Papers, and University Archives—and/or in the associated Scheide Library. Essays of all lengths and on all topics will be considered; they must be written in the academic year 2008-2009 and not submitted for publication elsewhere. To be eligible, authors must be enrolled in a Princeton University graduate program in the academic year 2008–2009. Essays will be judged on scholarly merit and creative use of Special Collections materials.

The winner will be announced on October 9, 2009, and the prize presented at the October meeting of the Council of the Friends. The winning essay will be published in a forthcoming issue of the Princeton University Library Chronicle.

To enter an essay in this competition, send two copies and a completed application form to: Gretchen Oberfranc, Princeton University Library Chronicle, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Firestone Library. (Electronic submissions are acceptable and may be sent to goberfra@Princeton.edu.) Application forms are available in the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections in Firestone Library, at the Seeley G. Mudd Library, and online at www.princeton.edu/~rbsc/new/application-09.pdf. Entries may be sent at any time but must be received by July 6, 2009. For further information, call 609-258-7093 or write or send e-mail to Ms. Oberfranc.