(The following is an updated version of a post by Jonathan Loar, South Asia Reference Specialist, Asian Division.)
It’s fellowship season! The Library’s Asian Division is happy to announce that it is now accepting applications for the 2025 Florence Tan Moeson Research Fellowship Program. Please note that the fellowship application is accepted only via online submission. In order to apply, the applicant must fill out an electronic form available on the fellowship information page, following the enclosed instructions. The deadline for the 2025 application season is midnight Sunday, January 12, 2025 US Eastern Time.
The purpose of the fellowship is to provide individuals with the opportunity to pursue research in the area of Asian Studies, using the unparalleled collections of the Asian Division and the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. The fellowships are for a minimum of five business days of research at the Library of Congress. The grants may vary from $300 to $3,000 and are to be used to cover travel to and from Washington, overnight accommodations, as well as other research expenses. Graduate students, faculty, independent scholars, researchers, and librarians with a need for fellowship support are especially encouraged to apply.
Please note that the Florence Tan Moeson fellowship is a government grant paid directly to selectees or selectees’ visa-sponsoring institutions. To receive the fellowship, selectees must be US citizens or have a valid and current work permit for the duration of the fellowship performance, i.e., no expired visa, paperwork, etc. For this fellowship, the Library of Congress Asian Division generally does not assist with procuring visas or work permits.
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In the past, Florence Tan Moeson fellows have researched a wide variety of topics utilizing the Asian collections. A small sample of projects over the years includes research on Manchu-language book culture in Qing China; representations of the imperial family in Japanese film magazines; the history of metallurgy and construction of steel companies in North Korean literature; Urdu manuscripts pertaining to the Hyderabadi Deccan region in the early 20th century; the Chinese monastic community in Thailand; and Tibetan sources in Mongolian historiography from the 13th to 16th century. Some of these projects have also incorporated other Asia-related materials, such as maps, films, and photographs, in the Library’s many reading rooms.
The Asian Division’s Florence Tan Moeson Research Fellowship Program is made possible by the generous donation of Florence Tan Moeson, who served as a cataloger at the Library of Congress for 43 years until she retired in 2001. Mrs. Moeson passed away on November 15, 2008.
The following resources will provide even more information about the rich and fruitful opportunities for research in the Asian Reading Room.
- Asian Collections at the Library of Congress: An Overview
- Asian Studies: Subscription Databases and Free Electronic Resources
- See additional research guides on South Asian women’s serials, the Japanese collection, Tai manuscripts, and much more
Questions about the Florence Tan Moeson Research Fellowship Program or the Asian collections at the Library of Congress? Feel welcome to contact reference staff through the Asian Division’s Ask a Librarian service.
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