The John Carter Brown Library in Providence was created to give scholars an opportunity to pursue their work in proximity to a distinguished collection of primary sources. Approximately twenty-five fellowships are awarded each year for periods of time usually ranging from two to ten months. Fellowships are available for any qualified researcher, the main criteria for appointment being the merit and significance of the candidate’s proposal, the qualifications of the candidate, and the relevance of the project to the holdings of the Library. The fellowship selection committees look closely at the potential shown by the candidate for creative utilization of the Library’s resources.