Council on Library and Information Resources

The Digital Library Federation (DLF), a program of the Council on Library & Information Resources (CLIR), will strengthen leadership pathways and expand opportunities for early-career and paraprofessionals and contingent, contract, adjunct, grant-funded, and term-limited cultural heritage and knowledge professionals. These roles often face barriers to professional growth opportunities, including isolation and limited development funding, leading to career stagnation, low morale, and poor retention. The planning project will conduct research and community assessments to design a sustainable fellowship model that institutionalizes financial access, mentorship, leadership development, and sustained engagement within the DLF community. In the second year, DLF will pilot a 20-person cohort that benefit from structured mentorship, leadership workshops, and integration into DLF working groups.