Cultural Navigators and Liaisons in New Haven

The New Haven Free Public Library (NHFPL) Fellowship is a partnership with Dwight Hall and the New Haven Free Public Library. The NHFPL Fellowship is an opportunity for Yale students to immerse themselves in the community they live in. NHFPL Fellows will act as cultural navigators to create, plan and implement pathways for diverse audiences to best utilize library resources. Through their work, Fellows will be able to learn with and from the New Haven community through planning activities and resources to build more equitable and accessible services at the library.

Fellows will primarily work at the Ives Main Branch but will have the opportunity to work at other branches.

New Haven Free Public Library Fellowship

What is the NHFPL Fellowship?

The NHFPL Fellowship is an opportunity for those interested in cultural equity and equitable access to public resources (like public libraries and their offerings). Fellows will work with the New Haven Free Public Library to engage bilingual and monolingual non-Spanish speaking audiences to build access and comfort with library resources. This could include but is not limited to hosting culturally relevant events, leading monolingual library tours, and researching materials to add to the library’s collection.

What will the NHFPL Fellows do?

Fellows will work directly with library staff supporting initiatives to engage monolingual and bilingual non-Spanish speaking audiences through regular events, activities, and materials. Potential community partners for Fellows to work with include Affinity Federal Credit Union, CHATogether, Yale Center for British Art, and New Haven Public Schools. Fellows will also provide support and direction for the library during Lunar New Year to create and host programming.

NHFPL Fellows Time Expectations and Stipend

NHFPL Fellows will receive a stipend of 1280 USD in the fall semester and 1920 USD in the spring semester. This stipend includes payment for 8 weekly work hours. Fellows will work 8 weeks in the fall and 12 weeks in the spring. The Fellow will also receive a 150 travel stipend per semester.

“Cultural equity is about improving people’s quality of life.”

— Luis Chavez-Brumell
Deputy Director, New Haven Free Public Library

Ives Squared at Ives Main Branch. Ives Squared is designed to inspire and augment the vibrant civic and entrepreneurial culture of the New Haven community

FAQs

Who is eligible?

All students at Yale University are eligible to apply. Applicants must have at least L5 level of Mandarin or equivalent to apply.

How do I apply?

Apply through the online application. The application consists of 3 parts: 1) personal information; 2) previous experience; and 3) intentions and goals.

When is the application deadline?

September 23, 2022

When is the start date?

Fellows will begin the week of October 10 for the fall semester and the week of January 23 for the spring semester.

What is the selection process?

After the application deadline, all written applications will be reviewed. Top applicants will be invited to interview.

New Haven Free Public Library

Mission

The New Haven Free Public Library fosters lifelong learning, inspires curiosity, and builds community through shared access to resources, experiences, and opportunities for all.

Vision

Now and tomorrow, the New Haven Free Public Library will transform lives and contribute to creating a strong, resilient, and informed community where everyone can thrive.

Values

Advance Literacy; Foster Learning and Achievement; Provide Access to Knowledge; Empower Economic Success; Inspire Exploration; Promote Connection and Collaboration; Deliver World-Class Service

Branches

Learn more about each of the five branches below.