Archival librarianship is partly a process of categorization – and this was certainly a feature of Adhitya Dhanapal’s bespoke University Administrative Fellowship with the Princeton University Library’s South Asian Ephemera Collection (SAE) . Yet leveraging his language skills in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, and Tamil to generate metadata for a collection of over 2,300 items also was the springboard for questions beyond the taxonomical. 

Applying the lens of a historian, Dhanapal grew curious about the history and meaning of collecting, and the relevance of ephemera beyond its lifecycle in its country of origin. 

With an emphasis on equity and accessibility, these questions shaped a long-term mentorship experience with South Asian Studies Librarian Ellen Ambrosone that sparked dialogue with librarians nationwide about ephemera that is undiscoverable or only minimally discoverable in current catalogs. 

“I have never thought of my job at the Library as simply a job. The University Administrative Fellowship shaped my research and transformed the way I think about the academic ecosystem as a whole. In collaboration with Dr. Ellen Ambrosone, I was able to design a bespoke UAF that catered to my own interests. I used the opportunity to reach out to important leaders in the field of South Asian librarianship and get a better sense of the challenges and opportunities of collection development for the history, culture and political economy of South Asia.” – Adhitya Dhanapal, GS, HIS 

Dhanapal and Ambrosone expect that this will be the beginning of a long-term professional connection. Upon completion of his Ph.D. in 2024, he will begin his new role as Resident Librarian for South and Southeast Asian Studies at Duke University.

“Adhitya has always been a great thought partner and interlocutor. We have talked through inclusive terminology and ways to mitigate harm in the description of South Asian material. I’ve also had the opportunity to see him present both about his developing research and about the UAF, and each time he has brought an original and thought-provoking perspective to these labors. Adhitya has always encouraged me to be more direct about the ways in which I am trying to take insights from postcolonial studies and put them into practice in our library workflows.” – Ellen Ambrosone, South Asian Studies Librarian

Read the complete story here: Princeton Ph.D. turns fellowship into Library Residency at Duke University.

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Princeton University Library enriches teaching and learning, facilitates world-class research, and preserves knowledge and cultural heritage by providing dynamic services and diverse collections. The Library aspires to be an active and creative partner within Princeton University and across the global community by curating resources and strategically engaging in new forms of teaching, learning, and research, especially those that foster diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

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GradFUTURES University Administrative Fellowships prepare graduate students for the tenure-track job market or a career in academic administration. They are also invaluable to those seeking experiences that position them for careers beyond the academy. Participants work on a project under the direction of their host department and learn the ins and outs of their host’s role – including specific responsibilities, organizational dynamics, external networks, and more.