Webster Merrifield

MERRIFIELD COMPETITION

The Chester Fritz Library and the UND Alumni Association and Foundation take great pleasure in sponsoring the Merrifield Competition for the most outstanding scholarly research paper submitted by a UND student. Named in honor of Webster Merrifield, UND's first University Librarian and third President, the Merrifield Competition awards a $1,500 scholarship and recognizes outstanding student research using primary source documents from the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library. A generous grant from the UND Alumni Association and Foundation enables the Library to hold this annual competition.

Awarding of the scholarship is based on competitive review of original research papers submitted to the Merrifield Competition Jury. Research papers must adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Topic. No restrictions are placed on the topic or subject matter of submitted papers; however, all papers must cite and directly investigate primary source materials held in the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.
2. Format. All papers must be typed, double-spaced, unbound and generally adhere to the style manual recommended in the author's discipline. Text of papers may not exceed fifty pages.

The Competition is open to both undergraduate and graduate students of UND. Entries are to be submitted to the Head of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections. The deadline for submission of papers is the fourth Friday in April. All papers submitted will be retained by the Department of Special Collections and will be made available to future researchers.

Papers will be reviewed and judged by a five member jury appointed by the Director of Libraries and the Head of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections. Papers will be judged on quality of research, clarity and writing skill. The extent of the author's utilization of source materials held in the Department of Special Collections will be a major consideration. That paper which most merits the Scholarship Award will be announced at the beginning of the Fall Semester. However, the jury may decide that none of the submitted papers meet the criteria and standards of the Competition.

The Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections contains materials of relevance and interest to students from all academic departments of the University. Students interested in submitting a paper to the Competition should visit the Department of Special Collections to review the catalog of library holdings in these areas. Special Collections staff is available for consultation.

Past Winners of the Merrifield Competition