Services at the LuEsther T. Mertz Library: Humanities Institute Scholars & Fellows

About the Humanities Institute

The Humanities Institute at the LuEsther T. Mertz Library is a dynamic, new model for innovative research that aims to bridge the divide between the arts and sciences, bringing together scholarship relating to nature, landscape, and the built environment. The purpose of the Institute is to form an intellectual community of students, visiting scholars, and graduate fellows, whose research involve innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to areas of landscape and garden design, urbanism, ecology, art, architecture, and cultural history, and other subjects that form part of the environmental humanities.

About the Scholars in Residence

The Institute sponsors several scholars in residence programs including a Mellon Fellowship program for emerging pre- and post-doctoral researchers that will make a significant and original contribution to cross-disciplinary studies in the humanities. A Visiting Scholars program will make available several short-term residencies for established scholars seeking to advance their research in these new directions. A Junior Fellows program provides a small stipend to emerging scholars wishing to conduct research during the summer months.

On-site Library privileges

• Stacks access (Granted after the scholar is given a stacks tour by the Library staff)
• View Special Collections materials in the Library
• Use the Rare Book Room to examine Special Collections materials
• Use the Reading Room and WiFi for study, projects and meetings during the Library’s hours of operation 
• Use the high-res scanner in the Library
• Requests scans of Library materials from the Library's imaging department at no cost

Circulation privileges

• Check out up to three books at a time for three weeks each, (with two renewals), from the Members’ Collection
• Check books out of the General Collection, kept at all times on NYBG grounds.  **Items are subject to recall at any time**

E-resource privileges

• Access all subscription database and e-services onsite while using Library and NYBG computer terminals, or Garden WiFi
• Access subscription databases and e-resources offsite after being issued a Library card

Instruction and research privileges

• Query Reference Librarians, the Archivist, and Plant Information Specialists for help, either on-site, via email, or over the phone during the Library’s hours of operation
• Request one-on-one or group training for e-resources from the Reference Librarian