The Tarlton Fellowship was created to encourage law graduates to pursue careers in law librarianship and, especially, to focus on the academic and scholarly side of law librarianship. Fellows are employed in the public services department of the Tarlton Law Library while they pursue their master's degree in library or information studies. Fellows receive exemplary, real-world training, as well as a monthly stipend, in-state tuition rates at the School of Information, and select University benefits (including health insurance). Fellows work 20 hours per week during the semester and contribute substantively to a variety of public services initiatives, in addition to being given an opportunity to explore other areas of the library’s services. The Fellowship is generally a two-year appointment.
Tarlton Fellows, as members of the library's public services staff, engage in a wide variety of activities. Much of their time is spent providing reference services to the University of Texas Law School faculty and students and the general public. As part of their duties, they work closely with faculty members on in-depth research projects, assist student journals in a variety of activities, and offer bibliographic assistance, instructional programs, and current awareness alerts. Fellows participate in these activities under the supervision of, and with the support of, the library’s lawyer-librarians, gaining important insights into a range of scholarly and academic programs.
Applicants must have earned a J.D. degree from an ABA-approved law school and must be admitted to an ALA-approved master's program in library or information studies, such as the University of Texas School of Information's Master of Science in Information Studies program.
Applicants should submit a cover letter describing their interest in the Fellowship and law librarianship, a current résumé, and the names and full contact information for three professional references. All materials should be sent to:
Matthew R. Steinke
Deputy Director and Head of Public Services
Tarlton Law Library
University of Texas School of Law
727 East Dean Keeton Street
Austin, Texas 78705
The application deadline for the Fellowship is June 1.
Inquiries should be directed to Matthew Steinke at msteinke@law.utexas.edu