.: Library Internship Opportunities
--No
stipend available-
The Smithsonian Institution Libraries (SIL) serves the Institution and the public through support of Smithsonian curatorial, research, exhibition, educational, and other program activities. The Libraries is a member of the Association of Research Libraries, the Chesapeake Information and Research Library Alliance (CIRLA), and the Federal Library Information Center Committee (FLICC).
The Libraries' collections of approximately 1.5 million volumes, including 7,000 journal titles, 40,000 rare books and 2,000 manuscript groups, 158,000 microfiche, 25,500 microfilm reels, and 600 microcards are available to visiting researchers and Smithsonian staff as well as to other scholars through a system of 22 branch libraries, with 17 located in the Washington, D.C., area. The five located outside Washington are in Edgewater, Maryland, two in Suitland, Maryland, New York City, and the Republic of Panama. Access to and management of the Libraries holdings are aided by the integrated on-line library system of the Smithsonian Institution Research Information System.
SIL collections are particularly strong in natural history, tropical biology, American ethnology and culture, astrophysics, astronomy and planetary sciences, American history, the history of science and technology, aviation history and space flight, postal history, fine arts and design, African art, horticulture, conservation, and museum administration. SIL has a special collection of some 285,000 manufacturers' commercial trade catalogs.
SIL staff assist researchers with access to the Internet by providing information, documentation and training programs, and by providing a range of resources on the Internet, including the World Wide Web. In addition to the customary library services, the Smithsonian Institution Libraries sponsors public programs, including exhibitions, lectures and symposia, and a Digital Library Program. The SIL Dibner Library Resident Scholar Program supports scholars doing research in the history of science and technology. The Libraries' staff is active in professional organizations, and staff members publish bibliographies, monographs, and articles in the field of library science as well as in other specialized fields.
Internship Programs and Requirements
The Smithsonian Institution Libraries offers internship opportunities to graduate students, library professionals, and undergraduate students interested in exploring a library career in library and information science. Intern assignments may include a project or a structured practical experience. The Libraries selects interns based on its needs and on the specific education, training, skills, and interest of the applicant. While specific requirements may vary from project to project, a graduate student in library and information science, or an intern with library experience or subject expertise may participate in reference or interlibrary loan activities, creation of bibliographies, or cataloging projects. Undergraduate interns receive an overview of library functions such as reference, circulation, acquisitions, cataloging, or preservation, and may assist in organizing collections, processing gift and exchange materials, or proofing and keying data.
Internships are available in all of the Libraries' divisions: Readers Services and Strategic Planning with its 22 branch libraries, Technical Services and Administration, and Digital Library and Information Systems. The Smithsonian Institution Libraries reviews applications throughout the year; there are no deadlines. The length of internships vary, and the minimum length of an internship is one month. Stipends are not offered by the Libraries, but funded internships may be available through the Smithsonian's Center for Museum Studies and the Smithsonian Office of Fellowships and Grants.
An online application form is available. To submit an application or for further information, contact:
Internship Coordinator, Smithsonian Institution Libraries
10th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
Natural History Building, Room 26A
Washington, D.C. 20560-0154
Telephone: 202-357-1851
Email: averav@si.edu