Seiler Library Internship, Cataloging Dept, Summer 2022

Seiler Cataloging Internship, Summer 2022

Dept: Cataloging

Reports to: Cataloging Initiatives Librarian

FTE/Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week, non-exempt

Salary Range: Stipend for 12 weeks: $8,400, plus on-site housing included

Duration: 12 weeks in Summer 2022 (exact start and end dates to be determined in consultation with the successful candidate; the internship must be completed by August 31, 2022)

Please apply on our website here: https://american-antiquarian-society.breezy.hr/

Location: Worcester, Massachusetts

APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 31, 2022

Organization Description: The American Antiquarian Society is a learned society and national research library dedicated to collecting, preserving, and providing access to the printed record of the United States through 1876. The Society’s collections are used by scholars, students, creative and performing artists, and writers in many fields studying and working with American history and culture. The Society is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels of the institution, as expressed in Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility: a statement from the Council and Staff of the American Antiquarian Society.

Website: https://www.americanantiquarian.org/

Internship Stipend:

Hours: 35 hours/week; Monday-Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Housing: A room in AAS Scholars’ Housing, either next door or across a residential street from the library, is included in the internship at no cost. By the start of the internship, the Seiler Intern must be at least 21 years of age and have proof of COVID vaccination to reside in AAS Scholars’ Housing.

Internship Description:

The Seiler Cataloging Internship is an opportunity to explore librarianship by working at a national research library, participating in its daily activities, completing library-based projects, and beginning to develop a network of contacts in the field.

The work will primarily focus on how materials are added to the Society’s collections and described in its online catalog so that library users can find and access them. 

The Seiler Intern will learn:

The Seiler Intern will work closely with the Head of Acquisitions and the Cataloging Initiatives Librarian, who will be their supervisor.

During their internship, the intern will learn how to process, describe, and catalog nineteenth-century books and pamphlets. By the end of the internship, they will have used the MARC format to catalog a selection of materials relating to the life and art of Alexander Anderson, a 19th-century illustrator and engraver. In addition, the intern will sit in on departmental meetings as well as collection development meetings with the Society’s curatorial team to learn the process of how AAS chooses what to acquire.

They will also undertake an additional cataloging project, which may be determined by their skills, knowledge, and interests in conjunction with the Society’s collections and priorities. For example, an intern interested in music or 19th-century popular culture might work with the Songsters Collection; an intern with knowledge of a language or languages in addition to English might work with relevant materials across the Society’s collections; an intern interested in the history of New York City might work with the Local History Collection.

The Seiler Intern will have the opportunity to talk with AAS staff who have a variety of duties across the Society, from creating programs to curating collections to photographing materials; to visit, either virtually or in person, other libraries; and to attend a national conference with AAS colleagues.

The Seiler Cataloging Internship is a residential internship, and the Seiler Intern will live in AAS Scholars’ Housing. This will allow them to participate in Society events and to build relationships with other members of the Society’s community, including researchers and other summer staff in various departments at the Society.

Internship Qualifications:

Candidates will be interested in exploring librarianship and information science but not yet enrolled in a Master of Library and Information Science (or equivalent) graduate studies program, and their cover letter should explicitly talk about their interest in librarianship.

Candidates must have either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree (in any field) or an anticipated graduation date by Dec. 31, 2022. The Society invites applications from people who may come to the internship from a diversity of paths, including, but not limited to: a rising senior or recent graduate exploring potential career paths; someone in a graduate studies program other than library and information science (or equivalent field); someone in the workforce or re-entering the workforce contemplating a career change.

Information Sessions

Interested applicants are invited to attend an informational webinar to learn more about the Seiler internship, the application and interview process, and the Society. AAS staff with whom the Seiler intern will work closely, the Cataloging Initiatives Librarian and the Head of Acquisitions, will be present.

There will be two informational webinars held:

These information sessions are optional, and they are not required for a successful application. The attendee list will be hidden, and it will not be reviewed by the selection committee. Interested applicants will have the opportunity to submit questions during registration and during the webinar.

Work environment:

The Seiler Intern will perform most of their duties in a shared office environment with artificial light and cool, controlled temperatures. Training in library software will be provided.

The Seiler Intern will work with historical books and pamphlets, which may result in exposure to dust, mold, and other irritants. Training in handling historical materials will be provided.

At the time of posting, the City of Worcester and the Society have indoor mask mandates for shared and common spaces.

 

To apply: 

Please submit cover letter and resume via our online platform. The application deadline is January 31, 2022; application review will begin on February 1.

Applications without cover letters will not be considered. In their cover letters, candidates should discuss their interest in librarianship and any relevant interests, skills, and knowledge.

While we will ask for two references from all finalist candidates, you do not need to include them in your application.

There will be two rounds of interviews, preliminary and final. Preliminary interviews will be conducted by phone during the third and fourth week of February. Final interviews will take place over Zoom.

Interview questions will be sent to applicants three days prior to their scheduled interview.

As an equal opportunity employer, we value diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are committed to equal employment and promotion opportunity regardless of ability, age, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

For questions about the internship, please contact careers[at]mwa.org. Please do not submit applications to this address.