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Archival Internship Opportunities
The Archives Center offers opportunities for fall, spring, and summer internships. Interns undertake projects involving preparation of collections for research use and dissemination of collections information through print and electronic media. Projects involve processing—arrangement, description, and re-housing materials—as well as cataloging archival collections and providing reference support in our reading room.
Important Announcement!
During the spring of 2012 the Archives Center will be moving temporarily (2012–2014) to a smaller space to accommodate a major renovation at the National Museum of American History. Although we will continue to accept and review intern applications, it is possible that we will be unable to host interns during this period. Consideration and selection will occur on an “as needed basis” and placement will be dependent upon staff availability, Archives Center project priorities, and space availability during this two year period. Before submitting an application online, please contact Alison Oswald, Internship Coordinator, for more details.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many internships are awarded?
The number of interns fluctuates depending on the time of the year and project and staff availability.
2. How much time does the archival internship require?
Internships requires at least 20 hours per week for 8 weeks. Some interns choose to devote more hours (up to 40 hours per week) or stay for longer periods of time (from 3 months to 1 year). Your choices depend on whether there is an appropriate project that coincides with what you want to learn and whether the staff is available to work with you. Start and end dates can be negotiated.
3. Are there deadlines?
Yes, there are three placement periods throughout the year:
- Spring (January-May) Deadline: October 15th
- Summer (June-August) Deadline: February 1st
- Fall (September-December) Deadline: July 1st
- Candidates seeking placement for practicum/field study experiences associated with thier academic programs that do not fall within the three placement periods should contact the Archives Center internship coordinator, Alison L. Oswald.
4. What supporting application materials are required?
Applicants should submit an application and all supporting materials requested (e.g. resume, transcripts, and essay) using the Smithsonian Online Academic Appointment System SOLAA.
Applying Through SOLAA (Smithsonian Online Application System) Tips:
- Register for SOLAA at: https://solaa.si.edu/solaa/SOLAAHome.html
- Choose Manage Applications==>Add New Application
- Select the radio button corresponding to internship of your choice.
- The drop down box will be populated with eligible programs. Please be sure to select the specific project for which you would like to be considered.
- DO NOT submit your application until all necessary components are uploaded (e.g. transcripts, academic essay, resume).
- Once submitted, you cannot upload or change anything within the application.
- An unofficial or official transcript can be uploaded by first scanning the document and saving it as a .pdf or .jpg.
- Please do not mail transcripts.
- Make sure you click the “send e-mail” button. This triggers the system to e-mail your referees with instructions for uploading the reference letter. Please advise your reference of this in advance.
If selected, the candidate must:
- Complete a pre-appointment Security Background Investigation . Interns cannot be accepted into the program until they complete and successfully pass this investigation. The investigation includes fingerprinting and a criminal background investigation conducted by the Office of Personnel Security at the Smithsonian.
- Interns must furnish their social security numbers and dates of birth to the Office of Personnel Security in order to obtain a security credential.
- Selected interns must sign the National Museum of American History Social Media Policy.
- Selected interns must complete online Computer Security Awareness Training and sign a User-Agreement Form, in order to have access to Smithsonian email and computers.
6. Who can apply?
Internships in the Archives Center are generally awarded to undergraduate and graduate students although student status is not a prerequisite. Opportunities are generally not available for high school students. A degree or expected degree in history or library science is preferred and archival experience, word processing, and database skills are useful. United States citizenship is not required, nonresident aliens must apply for the appropriate U.S. visa if selected.
7. Can I earn academic credit?
Yes. Check with your academic advisor about the specifics associated with your academic program. If selected, please notify us of your interest in earning academic credit and we’ll complete any necessary paperwork.
8. What type of skills will I learn?
Interns assist in surveying, arranging, describing and re-housing archival collections documenting primarily 19th- and 20th-century American music, material and pop culture, business, and invention and science and technology. They may also serve as reference room assistants. This internship is a paraprofessional hands-on experience that exposes the candidate to a variety of skills and activities:
- Understanding, identifying, arranging, describing, and categorizing archival collections;
- Researching and interpreting archives;
- Cataloging archival collections;
- Creating finding aids and/or inventories to collections;
- Building custom enclosures such as boxes, sink mats, and phase boxes;
- Digitizing photographs and other documents and managing digital assets;
- Assisting researchers; receiving or reshelfing collection materials;
- Entering data into databases;
- Researching, designing, and preparing small exhibits;
- Assisting with tours of the Archives Center; and
- Providing administrative and organizational support.
9. Are there other requirements?
Yes. If selected, interns are encouraged to attend Archives Center staff meetings to learn more about how an archives is managed; participate in scheduled enrichment programs and fieldtrips to other archival repositories; and make presentations about their work.
10. Is there a stipend?
Most Archives Center internships are unpaid volunteer positions. Some funded internships are available on a competitive basis through the Office of Fellowships and Internships.
NOTICE: The Lemelson Center Archival Internship at the Archives Center, National Museum of American History, is suspended for 2012. The Archives Center will be temporarily relocated from 2012–2014 due to a major renovation project at the National Museum of American History. Archives Center priorities and space availability during this two-year period are in transition and therefore we will not host a summer 2012 Lemelson Center Archival Intern.
The Archives Center offers the Christopher B. Cope and Jamie J. Shaw Archival Internship, a funded internship opportunity for one graduate student each summer.
11. Where can I find housing?
Locating housing in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area is challenging. If selected, the candidate should seek housing as soon as possible. For further information, visit http://americanhistory.si.edu/getinvolved/housing.cfm
12. How can I get more information?
For more information about other internship opportuinities at the National Museum of American History contact the Internship Program.
For Archives Center internship information, contact:
Alison L. Oswald, Archivist
National Museum of American History
Smithsonian Institution Archives Center
Room 1100, MRC 601
P.O. Box 37012
Washington, DC 20013-7012
Phone (202) 633-3726
Fax (202) 786-2453
Email oswalda@si.edu
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