The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) invites proposals for its “Pocket Burgundy” series. Prospective authors can propose ideas for reports based on their interests and the needs of the information and cultural heritage communities. Selected authors will be offered a stipend of $2,500 for their publication. The proposal due date has been extended to Wednesday, October 5, 2022. Decisions will be announced in December 2022.

Background:

For decades, CLIR’s published reports—known informally as “burgundy books” because of the cover color—have been important sources of research, ideas, and reference materials in the information and cultural heritage sectors. In recent years, titles have included Creating Access to HBCU Library Alliance Archives: Needs, Capacity, and Technical Planning; 3D/VR in the Academic Library: Emerging Practices and Trends; The Future of Email Archives; and ARSC Guide to Audio Preservation. These publications have typically been in the form of in-depth reports, manuals, and assessments commissioned by CLIR or external funders and designed for online or print publication. The Pocket Burgundy series flips our publication agenda from a top-down to a bottom-up orientation. CLIR sees this as an opportunity to hear from our community about their most pressing information needs, while elevating new voices in the field and promoting new research and ideas. The first proposal cycle for the Pocket Burgundy series was held in 2021; five publications were selected, which we expect to publish in 2023. 

What types of publications are we looking for?

Traditionally, CLIR’s reports have been in the areas of preservation, digital libraries, emerging technologies, economics of information, international developments, trends in information use, and the changing role of the library. CLIR will continue publishing in these areas, while also encouraging submissions around themes in the information field, including but not limited to: social and racial justice, labor, intersectionality, accessibility, sustainability, building and maintaining community, working with culturally sensitive materials and marginalized groups, decolonizing and indigenizing the field(s), and the climate crisis. Prospective authors are encouraged to propose topics relevant to their own work, which they believe would benefit the broader field(s). 

Publications proposed for this series should, in their final form, be 20 to 50 pages (5,000 to 12,500 words). By design, the publications created through this series will be shorter than traditional “burgundy books.” These reports should be tightly scoped to either go deeply into a narrow subject or survey a broader topic. Reports should include succinct executive summaries and visual elements, and be accessible and easily navigated. Publications will be released in electronic form.

How can I apply? 

To propose a report, fill out and upload your application components to this form. For this application, you will need: 

1. Project overview (1 page max), including: (1) project title, (2) project summary (250 words max), and (3) preliminary outline or table of contents.
2. A project rationale (1 page max), including: (1) a description of why the publication is needed and who the audience is, (2) a description of why you are the right person to do this work, and (3) a description of why CLIR, and specifically the Pocket Burgundy series, is the right publisher for this work. 
3. A project plan (1 page max), including: (1) a project schedule, and (2) a description of the project’s methodology and possible data sources. (If working with culturally sensitive materials or human subjects/participants, describe the ethical considerations and how they will be addressed in your approach.)
4. Optional supporting documents: applicants have the option to share writing samples and CVs or equivalent (e.g., professional website) for each author. 

Additional application instructions can be found on the application form. Applicants are encouraged to read through the project website and FAQs prior to submitting their proposals.  Questions about this opportunity or the application process should be directed to Kathlin Smith (ksmith@clir.org) and Nicole Kang Ferraiolo (nferraiolo@clir.org).