We are issuing a call for applications for the Institute for Research Design in Librarianship 2018. We are seeking novice librarian researchers who are employed by academic libraries or research libraries outside an academic setting in the United States to participate in the Institute. We define “novice” broadly; if you feel that you would benefit from being guided throughout the entire research design process, we encourage your application. Librarians of all levels of professional experience are welcome to apply.

The year-long experience begins with a workshop held on the campus of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, from June 3-9, 2018, with arrival on campus on Saturday, June 2, and departure on Sunday, June 10.
The William H. Hannon Library has received a second three-year grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to offer this continuing education opportunity (this grant, IRDL-2, is from 2016-2019). Each year 20 librarians will receive, at no cost to them, instruction in research design and a full year of peer/mentor support to complete a research project at their home institutions; the learning experience, travel to and from Los Angeles, CA, accommodations, and food will be supplied to Scholars free of charge.

We seek librarians with a passion for research and a desire to improve their research skills. IRDL is designed to bring together all that the literature tells us about the necessary conditions for librarians to conduct valid and reliable research in an institutional setting. The cohort will be chosen from a selective submission process, with an emphasis on enthusiasm for research and diversity from a variety of perspectives, including ethnicity and type and size of library.

Selection criteria:

• Commitment to the year-long process of participating in the IRDL research community and conducting the proposed study within the 2017-2018 academic year;
• Significance of the research problem to the operational success of libraries or to the profession of librarianship;
• Thoughtfulness, thoroughness, and clarity of the research proposal;
• Enthusiasm for research and a desire to learn.

We will be accepting applications from December 1, 2017 to January 27, 2018. Scholars accepted to the Institute will be notified in early March 2018. Application information may be found at http://irdlonline.org/call-for-proposals/institute-overview/.

Please contact Project Directors with any questions about the Institute or the application process:
Marie Kennedy, Serials & Electronic Resources Librarian, Loyola Marymount University (marie.kennedy@lmu.edu)
Kristine Brancolini, Dean of the Library, Loyola Marymount University (brancoli@lmu.edu)