Special Collections Internship
Description:
Under the direction of the Special Collections Manager/Rare Book
Curator, the intern will conduct research on one (or more) of the
following B&ECPL Rare Book collections listed below. Research will
include history and provenance of the collection, significance of the
collection locally and beyond, and value and importance of the
collection to the Library, monetarily and/or culturally. Items that
would enhance or round out the collection may also be identified. The
intern shall conduct two (2) public presentations on the completed
research and the collection. At least one of the presentations will be
held at the downtown Central Library. In addition, the intern shall
submit a written report, for archival public information purposes.
Research and presentation(s) shall be completed over the course of June,
July and August. It is anticipated the intern will work 12 hours per
week for a period of 10 weeks. There may be some flexibility in the
scheduling process.
Compensation: $2,000.
Collections:
· Oz Collection – Study of Baum’s Oz literature, examination of
RBR’s holdings on Oz and related material, and recommendation of
additions to collection.
· Little Harlem Club – Club on Michigan Avenue owned and operated by
Ann Montgomery from the 1930s through early 1960s, where Count Basie,
Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and others performed. Study would be of
this club and other clubs of the time period, and the programs and
photographs in the collection.
· Cuneiform – Study of Babylonian history, the tablets and cones
themselves, and the Edgar Banks Expedition that procured them.
· Bruce Shanks Collection – Study political cartoons in the
collections and Buffalo News, and the context of his work from 1930s
through early 1970s.
· Zorah Berry Collection– Buffalo impresario who brought many
important musicians, (Rachmaninoff, Heifetz, etc.) to Buffalo from the
1920s to late 1950s. Study would include the Zorah Berry Scrapbook
Collection, Buffalo Programs and Zorah Berry Music Series and photo
collection.
Requirements:
· Current Graduate student in a Humanities or Social Sciences field, such as Literature, History, Art or Library Science
· Excellent research skills
· Excellent organizational and computer skills
· Detail oriented
· Excellent communication skills - oral and written
· Self motivated and ability to work independently
The candidate must submit a resume and an essay, not to exceed two
pages, expressing their interest in an internship of this nature, which
collection they would choose to research and why.
Please submit a resume and essay by May 17, 2013 to:
Jeannine Doyle, Human Resources Officer
Buffalo and Erie County Public Library
1 Lafayette Square
Buffalo, NY 14203
