New Scholars Committee

In accordance with its identity as “an international, interdisciplinary scholarly organization that fosters the study of books and other textual artifacts in traditional and emerging formats,” the Bibliographical Society of America pursues its mission “by hosting public programs” and “conferring awards.”

The New Scholars Program Committee is charged with promoting the unpublished research of junior scholars new to the field of book history and bibliography. The committee solicits and reviews applications from early-career candidates with the aim of selecting three scholars to present their work at the Society’s annual meeting. The committee welcomes any research that deals with the creation, production, publication, distribution, reception, transmission, and subsequent history of textual artifacts in traditional or emerging formats (manuscript, print, or digital). In keeping with the values of the Society, the committee welcomes bibliographical scholarship pursuing new methods and new approaches, including applications from candidates applying bibliographical theory and principles to diverse materials and media. In addition, the committee welcomes scholarly submissions that embrace diverse, multicultural perspectives.

Volunteer Commitment

The committee meets four times annually. In the fall, two meetings are required for the evaluation of applications and the selection of candidates. Additional time is required in September each year for the review and individual evaluation of applications by committee members in advance of these meetings. A follow-up meeting is also scheduled in the winter, typically in January, coinciding with Bibliography Week and the BSA Annual meeting. The fourth meeting is held each spring to discuss the call for applications and program promotion.

Current Members

Barbara Heritage, Rare Book School (Chair)
Cynthia Gibson, Freelance Cataloguer; Editorial Director at BookFairs.Com (Vice Chair)
Meghan Constantinou, Simmons University
Kinohi Nishikawa, Princeton University
Agnieszka Rec, Beinecke Library, Yale University