New Internship Program

The  Libraries announces a new, paid internship program for graduate students interested in working in research and museum libraries. The program covers specific areas, including special collections and preservation, technical services, digital projects and research, reference and reader services. The Libraries will award up to two paid summer internships each academic year.

Candidates interested in special collections and preservation will work in the Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology at the National Museum of American History, where they will learn about processing, research, preservation and exhibition preparation. Candidates interested in the Libraries’ technical services will work in the serials unit of the Cataloging Department located in the National Museum of Natural History, gaining valuable cataloging and metadata skills, assisting with electronic journal issues and solutions and working on various special projects relating to electronic resources and collections. Candidates interested in digital projects will work in the Digital Services Division, also located in the Natural History Museum, increasing access to the Libraries’ collections through Smithsonian Research Online, the Biodiversity Heritage Library, the Libraries’ web site and other digitization projects. Candidates interested in research, reference and reader services will work in the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Library, in New York City, where they will address cataloging, advanced bibliographic searching, library move planning, weeding, and connecting to digital content.

Qualified applicants must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, hold a 3.0 GPA in their major, demonstrate interest in the research and museological activities of the Smithsonian Institution and Libraries and show solid writing, analytical and computer skills. Interns may receive up to $500 dollars per week for a maximum of six weeks. Applications for summer 2010 internships will be accepted on a rolling basis until June 15. For more information, application guidelines and complete program details, visit http://www.sil.si.edu/galaxy.cfm?id=3.21, or contact Special Project Manager Vicki Avera via email: averav@si.edu.

—Liz O’Brien

Image: “Portrait of Jean de Montreal,” from Scientific Identity: Portraits from the Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology