Yale University Library is seeking submissions for three annual prizes for outstanding senior essays. Each carries a $500 award and is presented during Commencement ceremonies at the recipient’s residential college. An information session for students interested in learning more about the prizes will be held Wednesday, March 24, 4-5 pm. Register for the Library Prize Information Session.
Based on quality of submissions, the library may name more than one winner (or alternately, none) for any of the awards. Winning essays are published on Eli Scholar. Senior essays submitted to a Yale academic department at any point during the 2020-21 academic year are eligible for consideration for 2021 prizes.
Submissions are open now for these three prizes:
The Harvey M. Applebaum ’59 Award is for a senior essay using materials from any of the government depository collections. Pascale Bronder EVST ‘19 was selected as the first-prize winner of the 2019 Harvey M. Applebaum ‘59 Award for her senior essay, “Renewable Energy Access and Resilience in Urban Developing Areas: Distributed Solar Networks and Peer-to-Peer Energy Trading in Puerto Rico.” Collections encompass government documents and information for the U.S., European Union, Canada, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the United Nations. Essays may be submitted for consideration by the student author or their faculty advisor no later than Thursday, May 13, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. Applebaum Award Submission guidelines.
The Manuscripts and Archives Diane Kaplan Memorial Prize is for an essay based substantially on research in any Manuscripts and Archives collection. Submission deadline is Friday, April 23, 2021, at 5 p.m. Faculty and others may encourage submission, but students must submit the essays themselves to be considered for the prize. Kaplan Prize submission guidelines.
The Library Map Prize is for the best use of maps in a senior essay or its equivalent. Claire Rossi de Leon EVST ‘19, was selected as the first-prize winner of the Library Map Prize in 2019 for her senior essay, “Ranging and Behavior Patterns of Black and Gold Howler Monkeys (Alouatta caraya) in Formosa, Argentina.” Essays may be submitted for consideration by the student author or their faculty advisor no later than Thursday, May 13, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. Map prize submission guidelines.