The digital library federation (DLF), a program of the council on library & information resources (clir), will strengthen leadership pathways and expand opportunities for early-career and…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) four hundred thousand dollars on September 1, 2026, under the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (CFDA 45.313) to design and pilot a sustainable fellowship model for early-career and contingent cultural heritage and knowledge professionals.

CLIR will conduct research and community assessments to identify and address barriers to professional growth—including isolation and limited development funding—that drive career stagnation, low morale, and poor retention among early-career paraprofessionals and professionals in contract, adjunct, grant-funded, and term-limited roles. The planning phase will design a fellowship model that institutionalizes financial access, mentorship, leadership development, and sustained engagement within the DLF community. In the second year, CLIR will pilot a 20-person cohort that receives structured mentorship, leadership workshops, and integration into DLF working groups.

The period of performance runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2028, with place of performance in Alexandria, Virginia. CLIR is a program of the Council on Library and Information Resources, a non-profit organization focused on professional development and collaborative initiatives in library and information sciences.

The digital library federation (DLF), a program of the council on library & information resources (clir), will strengthen leadership pathways and expand opportunities for early-career and paraprofessionals and contingent, contract, adjunct, grant-funded, and term-limited cultural heritage and knowledge professionals. These roles often face barriers to professional growth opportunities, including isolation and limited development funding, leading to career stagnation, low morale, and poor retention. The planning project will conduct research and community assessments to design a sustainable fellowship model that institutionalizes financial access, mentorship, leadership development, and sustained engagement within the DLF community. In the second year, DLF will pilot a 20-person cohort that benefit from structured mentorship, leadership workshops, and integration into DLF working groups.