Internship Overview and Position Descriptions
The Valparaiso University Christopher Center Library seeks enthusiastic library and information science graduate students to serve as interns for academic credit (these positions are unpaid). There are internships available throughout the library to fit myriad skills, backgrounds, and interests. We aim to provide enriching and exciting hands-on library experiences that will help prepare graduate students for careers in academic librarianship and benefit our library.
Internships are available for summer, fall, and spring semesters. To apply, please email your resume/CV and cover letter to Detra.Becker@valpo.edu.
Applications will be accepted:
Fall Semester -- June 1-15
Spring Semester -- October 1-15
Summer Semester -- March 1-15
Questions?
If you have questions about a specific internship, please contact the supervising librarian(s) listed in the position description below. If you have general questions about our internship program, please contact Dean Brad Eden at Brad.Eden@valpo.edu or (219) 464-5099.
Intern Position Descriptions
Digital Projects Internship
The digital projects intern will work with the Special Collections and Electronic Services Librarians to organize and execute a digitization project from start to finish. The intern selected for this position will gain valuable experience in the following areas: project management, digitization, and development of metadata. Once completed, the project would be hosted on our ContentDM platform.
Required qualifications: Interest in online digital collections, successful completion of beginning cataloging
Preferred qualification: Background in metadata creation
Supervising Librarians: Ruth Connell and Judy Miller
Marketing Internship (this internship will be first available in the spring 2013 semester)
The marketing intern will work on a number of marketing related projects, including, but not limited to:
● managing the library's social media efforts (Facebook, Twitter, and library blog)
● promotion of library programming; including both production of promotional materials and contacting the appropriate media outlets
● creating the library's READ posters (includes recruiting subjects and taking their pictures)
● taking a major role in the creation of the library's two newsletters, one geared towards Valparaiso University faculty and the other to an external audience
● other marketing projects of interest to the intern
Required qualification: Interest in marketing
Preferred qualification: Marketing background
Supervising Librarian: Rachael Muszkiewicz
Rare Book Cataloging Internship
The Archives rare book collection consists of approximately 1400 titles. Most are theological and philosophical works of the reformation from the 16th and 17th centuries and are published in German or Latin with old style scripting. The rare book cataloging intern would create full catalog records for these items.
Required qualifications: Familiarity with written Latin or German, ability to lift heavy (approximately 20 pound) volumes, successful completion of advanced cataloging
Supervising Librarians: Donna Resetar and Judy Miller
Research Services Internship
The research services intern will gain meaningful, professional-level experience in the Research Services settings (instruction, reference, and circulation). While the internship may focus upon an agreed-upon level of observation and delivery of services in a specific setting within Research Services (such as observing and then delivering library instruction), there will also be an agreed-upon project-based activity which will require initiative, investigation, creation, and delivery on the part of the intern. This project will involve an aspect of Research Services that both interests the intern and meets the needs of the library, resulting in both a model experience that the intern can present during job searches and a plan for implementation based on project results for the library.
Required qualification: familiarity with the ACRL Information Literacy Standards; graduate coursework in research, information literacy, access services, assessment, or other related topics (web-based searching, information management, etc.).
Preferred qualifications: Familiarity with trends in patron support initiatives (i.e., chat or text ref, LibGuides, embedded librarianship), with assessment tools (i.e., such as focus groups, SAILS), or with courseware systems (i.e., Blackboard, Moodle).
Supervising Librarian: Trisha Mileham
Bradford Lee Eden, Ph.D.
Dean of Library Services
Christopher Center for Library and Information Resources
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, Indiana 46383
brad.eden@valpo.edu
219-464-5099
