Volunteer Internship Program

About the Program

The American Folklife Center has available at all times of the year a limited number of volunteer internships through which individuals may work with the collections in the Archive of Folk Culture. Although these internships carry no stipend, many persons have found them useful in planning a career, or in obtaining the experience necessary to enter an academic, or other, profession. Interns who are students have often arranged with their institutions to obtain academic credit.

The goals of the Center's Volunteer Internship Program are as follows:

• To provide educational experience or career training in the fields of folklore and folklife, ethnomusicology, archival studies, library science, or related areas
• To provide in-depth exposure to the field of folklife, the collections of the Archive of Folk Culture, and the processes of collection, preservation, and presentation
• To organize and structure activities that produce concrete results to benefit both the intern and the Center
• To build networks with future generations of professionals concerned with aspects of folklife and ethnomusicology

Interns have the opportunity to participate in a number of activities of the American Folklife Center: reference, processing, acquisitions, special projects, and events. Some examples include: compiling finding aids for specific subject areas in the Archive's collections, organizing and labeling collections for preservation and storage, and maintaining a wide variety of subject and collections files. Other projects may include research for special projects and assisting with public events. Occasionally, interns are called upon to assist in responding to requests from Congress and the academic and public sector communities.

Requirements

Interested applicants should have:

• An ability to commit to the 200-hour minimum
• An interest in the subjects of folklife, ethnomusicology, or related disciplines
• A willingness to work in a library and/or archive
• Some prior experience within an archive or library setting is preferred

Full-time and part-time arrangements are possible, although a commitment of at least two full days a week is preferred.

How to Apply

Please send a resume and cover letter to Ann Hoog, Folklife Specialist, by email: ahoo at loc dot gov or fax: (202) 707-2076. Because of security measures at the Library, US Mail and Federal Express may be delayed. There is no deadline for applications, but it is recommended that you apply at least two months in advance of when you wish to intern.

Include in your application a phone number where you can be reached and an indication of when you would like to schedule your internship.

For further questions about the internship program please contact Ann Hoog at the email listed above or call (202) 707-4428.