Summer 2012 Graduate Student Fieldwork/Internship/Practicum – Barnard Library

Barnard Library and Academic Information Services 
Summer 2012 Graduate Student Fieldwork/Internship/Practicum

Barnard Library and Academic Information Services (BLAIS) seeks interns interested in gaining valuable public service experience in an academic library and archive. BLAIS Interns will receive training and participate in diverse aspects of library and/or archival work, identify information and service needs,  and match solutions that reach targeted academic departments, faculty, and students.  We encourage summer interns to develop independent and self-directed projects with the guidance and support of their mentors, who work as librarians and archivists at BLAIS.

The internship program welcomes students who have completed 9 graduate credits in Library and Information Science, and Instructional Technology and Media. Technical skills are a plus, and excellent communication and public service skills are essential.  Interns work approximately 10 hours/week or whatever is required by the library school. The position is unpaid, and for-credit internships are preferred.

Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume, and references to blaisinterns@barnard.edu. Applicants are welcome to identify areas of interest from the list below.

Archives
(To apply, send a cover letter, résumé, and a brief writing sample to Marcia Bassett, Archivist, mbassett@barnard.edu)
Interns will assist the archives’ staff in processing and preserving archival collections, as well as making the materials available to researchers through electronic and paper finding aids. The Archival Intern will assist the College Archivist and Image Archivist in surveying and processing archival collections, creating and managing Excel spreadsheets and Word documents, preparing finding aids and cataloging archival holdings using Voyager Cataloging software. The Archival Intern may also perform other duties as assigned. Knowledge of Archivists Toolkit and archival descriptive standards including EAD and DACS is a plus. Experience in copy editing, strong computer skills, precise work ability, exceptional writing skills and attention to detail are preferred. Preference will be given to applicants who are currently enrolled in or have recently completed a graduate-level program in
archival management. This internship is unpaid; however, course credit can be arranged.

Collection Development

(To apply, send a cover letter, résumé, and two references to blaisinterns@barnard.edu)
Interns will assist in the development and promotion of print collections at Barnard Library. This is a fantastic opportunity to acquire skills in the selection and curation of library materials. Projects include the assessment of Barnard Library’s print reference holdings across disciplines, along with the development of two new circulating fiction collections: lesbian genre fiction and LGBTQ young adult fiction.

Media Collection

(To apply, send a cover letter, résumé, and two references to blaisinterns@barnard.edu)
Interns will assist in the assessment and promotion of media materials at the Barnard Library. This is a great opportunity to acquire skills in collection development and format migration. No experience is required, but, due to the nature of the collection, those with experience or interest  in the performing arts are strongly encouraged to apply.

Zine Collection:
(To apply, send a cover letter, résumé, and references to Jenna Freedman, Zine Librarian, zines@barnard.edu. You can also contact Jenna at AIM/Google/Yahoo BarnardLibJenna)
The Barnard Library seeks an intern to assist in preserving and promoting its zine collection. This is a juicy opportunity for students with an interest in alternative press and special collections. This summer we are particularly interested in students with a strong interest and some coursework in archives and/or cataloging.


Vani Natarajan
Research and Instructional Services Librarian
Humanities and Area Studies
Barnard College
3009 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
212.854.8595