FAQ

What is the Affiliate School Program?

The Affiliate School Program is a special gateway to education resources, events, and tools designed to bring American history to life in the classroom. The program is funded by a “We the People” Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and is totally free of cost to schools and their districts. To become familiar with the Institute, its mission, and offerings, please explore our website.

Why should my school join the Affiliate School Program?

The Affiliate School Program allows teachers and schools special access to resources in the Gilder Lehrman Collection and our website, as well as regional Affiliate School forums with noted historians, preferential consideration for our Teacher Seminars, one free traveling exhibition booking, and essay contests for students.

Affiliate Schools receive:

• Invitations to professional development opportunities for teachers, including preferential consideration in Gilder Lehrman’s renowned 40 teacher seminars
• Free and discounted GLI materials throughout the year
• Special access to the Gilder Lehrman Collection, recorded lectures from historians, and traveling exhibitions
• Additional website content and features available only to teachers in Affiliate Schools

What is the Gilder Lehrman Collection and why is it important to me?

The Gilder Lehrman Collection, an important part of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, contains more than 60,000 documents detailing the political and social history of the United States. The Collection’s holdings include handwritten letters, diaries, maps, photographs, printed books, and pamphlets ranging from 1493 through modern times.

For more detailed information about Collection holdings please browse the Primary Sources section of our website or contact our reference librarian at reference@gilderlehrman.com. For information about rights and reproductions, please contact permissions@gilderlehrman.org.

Can districts or consortiums join the Affiliate School Program?

We certainly encourage school districts or consortiums to make information about the program available to their schools, but each school must apply individually. One person may choose to serve as the Affiliate School advisor and main contact for all of the schools in a district or consortium, but we must receive applications from each school.

How do I apply?

To apply, please speak to your principal for his or her approval and then complete the Affiliate School application. The application should take no more than 30 to 45 minutes to complete, though getting the demographic information for your school might require a few emails.

What is expected of an Affiliate School?

Each school is required to complete an annual survey, administered by an outside assessment firm, to help us track the effectiveness of the program, the resources offered, and school development. This allows the Institute to internally evaluate history education needs and report information about the grant to the National Endowment for the Humanities.

How long will it take to process my application?

Each application is reviewed by a senior member of our education staff, and it typically takes about 1 to 3 weeks for approval. Once accepted into the program, you will receive an email from us.

My school has been accepted into the Affiliate School Program. How do I access the website?

Once your school has been accepted into the program, please create an account under community, check off that you are an affiliate school and make sure you indicate what school you are a teacher or administrator at.  Your profile will have a key icon to indicate you have affiliate access to our site.

How do I book a traveling exhibition for my school?

Please contact Joanna Byrne at byrne@gilderlehrman.org, or call 646-366-9666 to book a traveling exhibit. You may also book a traveling exhibition online by completing a short application form.

Please make sure to include that your school is a member of the Affiliate School Program to receive the exhibition without cost. Exhibitions are booked four to six months in advance and are scheduled upon availability. For more popular exhibits, there may be a waiting list.

How do I apply to Teacher Seminars?

Please complete the Teacher Seminar application, which opens each fall and closes in the early spring. To receive priority consideration, you must include that you are from an Affiliate School. A school must be a member by November 1 in order to receive preferential consideration. A complete listing of seminars, deadlines, and the application can all be found on the Teacher Seminars section of our site. If you have any further questions, please contact us at seminars@gilderlehrman.org or at affiliates@gilderlehrman.org.

How do I get the Affiliate School discount at the GLI bookstore?

Please email us at affiliates@gilderlehrman.org for your 25% off discount code.