Henry Lumley Collections Engagement Grant

About the Grant

The 2024 Henry Lumley Collections Engagement Grant provides UK based researchers with an opportunity to visit to conduct research on a topic centred on the library collections of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. The grant is open to researchers in any field of study.

The successful candidate will spend around six weeks, or the part-time equivalent, at the College researching the collections. Research visists may commence from July 2024. Our approach to scheduling visits is flexible and exact schedules can be discussed with the team. Mandatory outputs must be submitted by 31 March 2025.

The aims of the grant are to facilitate new research into RCS England’s library collections and to raise awareness of the collections amongst the research community and the wider public. The recipient will be expected to engage with the library team, and to disseminate their research outcomes to a variety of audiences.

Note: this grant is not for surgical research: learn more about surgical research fellowships, grants and awards.

The visiting researcher will receive:

• A grant of £3,000 towards subsistence and travel expenses.
• Study space in the Library Research Room at Lincoln’s Inn Fields, during advertised opening hours, in arrangement with the Library team.
• Access to staff with specialist knowledge of the collection in question when available.

The visiting researcher will be required to provide:

Essential outputs:

• An article for the RCS England Bulletin.
• A blog post.
• An end of project report.
• At least one additional output as described in the awardee’s research proposal.

Additional outputs include but are not limited to the following:

• Digital — recordings, podcasts, digital exhibitions.
• Research — lecture, conference paper, publication or scholarly digital resource.
• Live — a talk, seminar, pop-up display, performance.
• Professional — contributions to catalogue records or collection descriptions.

Acknowledgement of the grant and citation of RCS England Library in any resulting publications.

RCS England Library

RCS England holds one of the foremost medical and surgical collections of rare books in the UK. They include extensive collections of early printed books, tracts and journals.

Please note that only collections managed by the library are in scope, collections managed by the archives and museums are not in scope for this grant.

Library Collections

The library contains modern collections that support teaching surgery, dental surgery, anatomy and pathology, and historic collections that provide a resource to aid the historical understanding of these subjects and many others. The collections include more than 50,000 books (15^th century onwards), c. 2,000 periodical runs, and c.30,500 tracts. Many of the items in the collections are rare or unique in terms of marginalia or holdings. 

Core subject and collection strengths

• Surgery, surgical specialties and key surgical discoveries and procedures.
• Dentistry and dental surgery.
• Anatomy, including a rich collection of anatomical atlases.
• Surgical instrument catalogues.
• Surgical education, especially 18th–19th century.
• Royal College of Surgeons of England.
• Natural history — notably, botany and comparative anatomy.
• Medical science and public health 15^th–20^th century.
• Military medicine and surgery.
• Medical illustration.

Also of interest would be research that explores bibliographical topics or the development of the collections.

For more information on the library collections:

• Library catalogue.
• About the Library’s historical collections.
• Explore RCS England Library via our Blog.
• History Collections — Royal College of Surgeons of England. 

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

The grant is open to UK based researchers, over the age of 18, in any discipline.

The selection committee will consider applications according to the following criteria:

• The demonstrated need to consult specific items or collections within RCS England’s Library.
• The potential of the project to increase public understanding of the materials consulted.
• The potential of the project to make an original contribution to research and/or to develop innovative research methods for the study of these materials.
• The feasibility of the research objectives.

Note: this grant is not for surgical research: learn more about surgical research fellowships, grants and awards.

To apply

Before applying, applicants will need to explore the library catalogue to assess whether the collections hold the kind of material they wish to use. Before submitting a formal application, applicants are also strongly encouraged to contact the Library to discuss the level of access to the collections that their proposed research project would require.

The deadline for applications is 14 April 2024.

Applicants should email the following documents to library@rcseng.ac.uk, with the subject line “Henry Lumley Grant”:

• A completed Application Form.
• A research proposal (1,000 words maximum in PDF format). This should specify the anticipated timescale and dates, the items or collections that will be used, how the research will be disseminated, and the expected outcomes during and after the project.
• A curriculum vitae including a list of publications or other research outputs, as appropriate.
• Details of two referees who will be able to comment on their professional knowledge of the applicant and the contribution the proposed research would make to scholarship or to wider engagement. We will only contact the referees of shortlisted applicants.
• An invitation to take up the research grant will be subject to agreement to attend an induction session with library staff.
• Successful applicants will be notified of the award by 14 June 2024.