The names of the second class of fifteen fellows appointed to The New York Public Library's Center for Scholars and Writers, for the academic year 2000-2001, were announced today by Library President Paul LeClerc and Peter Gay, the Center's Director and Sterling Professor of History Emeritus at Yale University. The group will take up residence on September 11 in the Center's newly renovated quarters, in the landmark Humanities and Social Sciences Library, at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue. The Center for Scholars and Writers offers a nine-month fellowship that allows researchers and creative writers to work at the Library on projects involving use of its collections.
Fellows receive a stipend and office space, and are encouraged to share ideas.
Already, the Center has become established in New York City as a lively hub of intellectual discourse, and has recently presented the first series of lectures by the current class of scholars. Writings by the first class have also graced the pages of many publications during their tenure. The other twelve fellows were chosen by a distinguished selection committee. A broad spectrum of interests and projects was reflected in the applicant pool consisting of 204 applicants from 22 countries. Our aim was to make the Library at Fifth Avenue a focal point for writers and thinkers in New York City, and this has begun to happen in a very real way.