Disclaimer

This guide is for students in the Library and Information Science (LIS) program.

Students pursuing the Library and Information Science degree with School Media specialization should review the most recent version of the LIS Handbook (ischool.syr.edu/academics/advising/handbooks-checksheets/)  and request the Guide to School Media Practica.

Guides and instructions for students in other iSchool programs are available on the iSchool Career Services website: ischool.syr.edu/careers/career-resources/internships/ 

and the Guide to Successful Practicum Experience Completion for School Media Students.

Introduction and Philosophy of the iSchool Internship Program

The Purpose of an Internship

In recognition that education extends beyond the formal classroom, the faculty of the School of Information Studies (iSchool) encourages students to participate in special learning situations outside existing courses. An internship allows students to demonstrate what they have learned in class.  A student intern also has the ability to gain knowledge, skills, and abilities that are not taught in class. For the LIS program, the internship is was previously part of the program’s exit requirement and now can be taken as elective credits. IST773 is the LIS program exit requirement as of the 2023-24 academic year.

The Difference between Co-ops and Internships

At the iSchoolSchool of Information Studies, co-ops and internships are differentiated primarily by their duration. A co-op, or cooperative work experience, is a paid position which can last between 6 and 12 months, extending beyond a single semester, and is most often associated with students in the Information Management (IM) program. the IS students.  Whatever the time duration, however, at least three (3) credits must be taken as LIS internship credit.  Three credits will require 150 contact hours for completion. Generally speaking, most   LIS internships are tend to be non-paid.An internship can be applicable to all graduate level programs at the iSchool.  

A maximum of six (6) credits may be earned through co-ops or internships by a graduate student in the LIS program.  Internships are generally completed over the time frame of one semester, or possibly a quarter term; however, there are some experiences that may be shorter, or longer, in duration.  If you have questions about the duration of your internship, please feel free to contact Kathy Benjamin (kabenjam@syrCareer Services (icareers@syr.edu) with questions. 

Students are encouraged to seek meaningful, relevant internships in which they can apply the theories taught in the classroom to real world applications. While Site Supervisors do share their knowledge and expertise with interns and co-ops, the students give a tremendous amount back to the organization in terms of projects completed, professional services rendered, enthusiasm, creativity, and new approaches to information problems. 

Where the Internship fits into an Information Studies Program

Students usually choose to register for internship opportunities when they have completed approximately one-half to two-thirds of their academic program at the iSchool and have a GPA of 3.0 or greater. This is to ensure that they have the skills to be successful in the work experience they select. However, students are encouraged to plan early, so that their work experience will best parallel their professional goals. It is never too early to contact the Academic Advisor or Faculty Supervisor to develop a goal and discuss possibilities.

The Syracuse University iSchool does not discriminate against employers, students, or applicants on the basis of race, gender, handicap, age, veteran status, national origin, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.

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Benefits for Everyone

Clearly, an internship opportunity is a winning situation for everyone involved! While you, the student, gain real work experience, your employer gains the use of your skills for a designated period of time. Let’s take a closer look at exactly what benefits will accrue for the various parties. 

Benefits for the Student

• Use information skills and apply theoretical knowledge in a practical experience
• Pursue a special interest in a subject specialty
• Interact and communicate with professionals
• Experience an information setting consistent with professional goals
• Become aware of employment opportunities
• Test theoretical concerns against reality
• Understand the role of the sponsoring site within the community
• Develop a professional self-awareness
• Develop professional contacts for future advice and job seeking
• Develop and implement a project that fulfills personal goals and benefits the internship site
• Demonstrate abilities learned in the classroom

Benefits for the Site

• Develop and implement special projects
• Have additional professional-level assistance available
• Gain fresh insights from students currently studying leading-edge approaches
• Interact with students and programs at the iSchool

Benefits for the iSchool

• Provide stimulating, practical learning environments for students
• Meet the individual needs of students
• Promote a good working relationship with public and private sector organizations

Frequently Asked Questions

Must I do an internship?

LIS students are required to complete a 3-credit internship; however, in some circumstances an Independent Study course could be approved by the program director instead.

LIS students with past professional level library experience may request to do an independent study project. Students must arrange the Independent Study. This would require the student to find a faculty member who would be willing to oversee the proposed work. In some cases, the program director may allow a student to take a course instead.

Up to 6 credits may be earned through internships. School Media students must do two 120-hour internships in different schools (total of 3 credits), preferably at different grade levels. No graduate student may earn more than 6 credits through internship opportunities.

Students in the Certificate of Advanced Study program in Cultural Heritage Preservation must do two (2) internships, each 150 hours in duration for three (3) credit hours each (total of 6 credit hours, 300 work hours).

Students should select their internships based on what they want to learn in a particular setting.

What will an internship opportunity cost?

You must pay regular Syracuse University credit hour costs for your internship opportunity. If you are earning 6 credit hours, you must pay the bursar’s office for 6 credits.

If you find an internship in another region from where you currently live, you may need to pay housing costs to live in the area or transportation costs to get there. 

How and where do I register for an internship opportunity?

You may register through the University MySlice online system for your internship opportunity, just as you would for any other class. Register for IST 973 for both paid and non-paid work experiences. Be careful to enroll in the correct section of IST 973. Separate sections are reserved for the LIS main campus students and the online 2U students. If you have questions about registration, contact Kathy Benjamin (kabenjam@syr.edu). You will automatically be enrolled in the IST 973 2U course once you register.

In addition, there is paperwork to fill out during the internship. The Proposal Form (see form on pages 18-19) must be uploaded to the ASSIGNMENT or CONTENT section of the IST 973 online course (2U learning platform) at least one week before you begin working, so that the faculty supervisor can approve the internship. You will not get credit for the internship if you do not turn in this paperwork! Also, the Proposal cannot be accepted for past work experiences.

What if my work assignment won’t end before the end of the semester?

You will have a missing grade on your next grade report. Once the assignment is completed and your evaluation forms have been turned in, a grade will be submitted for you. Plan ahead of time with your Faculty Supervisor.

What if I want to extend my experiential learning opportunity for another semester?

Keep in mind that you are limited to a total of 6 credits for an internship opportunity. Contact Kathy Benjamin (kabenjam@syr.edu) to decide how to register for the additional credits and to ensure that your grade is not withheld.can take IST973 as an elective. Up to 6 credits may be earned through internships. Students should select their internships based on what they want to learn in a particular setting. 

What will an internship opportunity cost?

You must pay regular Syracuse University credit hour costs for your internship opportunity. If you are earning 6 credit hours, you must pay the bursar’s office for 6 credits.  If you find an internship in another region from where you currently live, you may need to pay housing costs to live in the area or transportation costs to get there. Remote internships are an option. 

How and where do I register for an internship opportunity?

You must register for academic credit in Myslice.  Register for IST 973.  IST 973 has a variable amount of credit hours assigned to it in Myslice.  Be sure to register for the correct number of credit hours you are seeking for the work experience. Most LIS students tend to register for three (3) internship credit hours for a work experience and can be repeated for a second internship if desired.  Keep in mind that you must work at least 50 work hours for one credit hour of internship. 

Questions about registration can be directed to Academic Advising (iadvising@syr.edu)Required forms & documents can be found in LIS Handbook. The Internship Proposal, Learning Agreement & Evaluations are completed via Qualtrics.  Qualtrics links are sent to students registered for IST 973 by the faculty supervisor.  Reflections are uploaded to the LMS. 

What if my work assignment won’t end before the end of the semester?

Ideally, all work will be completed within the time frame of the term to avoid an Incomplete (only given under certain circumstances). Once the internship work is completed and all of your assignments have been submitted, a grade will be submitted for you. Plan ahead of time with your Faculty Supervisor. 

What if I want to extend my experiential learning opportunity for another semester?

Keep in mind that you are limited to a total of 6 credits for an internship opportunity.Contact Academic Advising (iadvising@syr.edu)to decide how to register for the additional credits and to ensure that your grade is not withheld. 

Can I use my work as my internship?  If not, how can I work full time while doing an internship?  

No, you cannot count the hours of your regular job as your internship. To fulfill the internship requirements, you can find an internship at a different site other than the library (or any organization) you currently work for and work out a schedule with your site supervisor that will allow you to perform your internship activities outside of your job. Or, in some cases, you may choose your workplace as the site for your internship, but the activities and experience as well as the site supervisor MUST be different from those of your regular job duties and the hours must be outside your regular job time. 

I was hired to work on a short-term project.  Can I use it as my internship?

In general, a short-term, temporary job can be considered to be counted as an internship as long as the activities and experience are relevant to the LIS program goals. There are cases where an employer has a short-term project (several months usually) and needs to hire someone to do the job. It will be up to the student to negotiate with the faculty supervisor, who will evaluate the work involved to make sure it fits into the LIS program goals. Once approved, the student can count the hours for this short-term project as an internship. 

Internship sites are as varied as the students who find them.  When you are searching for a site, consider these organizations that have hosted LIS interns in past semesters:

Library of

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Congress                                     Syracuse University’s Bird Library

New York State Archives                          Rochester Institute of Technology, Rush Rhees Library

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Gilead Sciences, Inc.                                    Prince Georges County Public Library System

Mid-York Library System                          National Archives and Records Administration

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Cornell University Libraries                     Syracuse Supreme Court Library

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The Adirondack

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Museum                         LeMoyne College Library

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Fayetteville Free Library                            Onondaga County Public Libraries

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In the Stacks (virtual)                                   Toledo Museum of Art

Albany Public Library                                   Penn State University Libraries

Cleveland Health Sciences Library       California State University Libraries

Vermont Women’s History Project      SUNY Upstate Medical Center Health Sciences Library

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Onondaga Historical Association          Case Western Reserve Library                               

CNY Library Resources Council              The Society of California Pioneers

Ohio State University

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Libraries                Boston College

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Libraries

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New York Public

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Library                               Seattle Public Library

KRIA Archives (virtual)                                 United Nations

Middlebury College Library                        OCLC

SUNY Canton, Southworth

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Library        ALA/Association for Library Collections and Technical Services

Just the Facts:  Finding an Internship Opportunity

In selecting a site, use the following resources:

Handshake

The main system in which students should search for jobs, internships, and co-ops is Handshake, https://syr.joinhandshake.com

Academic Advisor

Resources:

1. Academic Advisor.  Your advisor has probably worked with other students in similar situations and may have suggestions for where you can pursue an internship opportunity. He or she may also help you define your skills to include on your resume.
2. Faculty Supervisor

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1. .  Various LIS Faculty members act as the faculty supervisor for LIS internships and may have suggestions and contacts for you to consider for your particular interests.

The Listserv

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1. Your program’s listserv (istlis@listserv.syr.edu or istollis@listserv.syr.edu). These listservs are utilized by the Career Services & Experiential Learning team to post some currently available jobs, internships and co-ops, including local to international positions.

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School Media Students

School Media students may contact Blythe Bennett for additional assistance or suggestions for finding a practicum site.

International Students

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1. The main system in which students should search for jobs, internships, and co-ops is Handshake, https://syr.joinhandshake.com .
2. Special Needs.    International Students must consult the Center for International Services (

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1. CIS) for information regarding internships and employment.

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Career Counselor (iSchool) and Career Services Office (Syracuse University)

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1. The iSchool’s Career Services & Experiential Learning team works closely with this office to process CPT (curricular practical training) for all international students choosing to work for an off-campus employer. The iSchool provides the CPT recommendation letter for the work experience, but it is up to the student to complete the CPT application process before starting work for an off-campus employer.
2. Career Counselors.  For assistance with resume preparation, interviewing, and utilization of Handshake, the online recruiting database, you may consult with the iSchool’s Director of Career Services,     Morgan Mastronardi, Career Advisor - mrmills@syr.edu or Assistant Director of iSchool Career Services, Jeffrey Fouts (jlfouts@syr.edu).

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1.    You can set up an appointment to meet with these staff members on Handshake.

Independently Finding Your Own Internship

Not all internship opportunities are secured through leads provided by your advisors or iSchool career services on campus. You can also develop an opportunity on your own. Target a particular institution and contact the director for an initial meeting and/or conversation about a potential internship. Keep in mind the criteria that a site must meet:

• There must be a Site Supervisor who is more knowledgeable than the student
• Ideally, the Site Supervisor will have an MLS or MLIS degree. If not, the Site Supervisor must have professional work experience in the library field (minimum of 3 years)
• The Site Supervisor must be willing to guide, supervise, and evaluate the student
• There must be specific, finite tasks for the student to complete
• These tasks must be considered educationally useful by the Faculty Supervisor and /or Academic Advisor
• There must be a project, under the direction of the Site Supervisor, that the student develops and completes 

Tips for Finding an Internship Opportunity

Use All of your Connections

The internship opportunity does not have to come from the iSchool. Feel free to enlist the help of family, friends, professors, administrators, or anyone else you may know who is in a position to help you.Be   Be creative in the utilization of resources from the library such as national guides for internships to reach outside of the Syracuse community. Multiple online resources provide lists of internships worldwide, and individual company websites list internship opportunities.Keep   Keep in mind that the site and your role there must meet the criteria specified by the iSchool in order for you to earn credit. Your internship proposal must be approved by the Faculty Supervisor.

Have an Effective Resume

Remember, your resume may be your initial contact with an employer. Make sure it reflects exactly what you want conveyed to an employer.  Students who may be unfamiliar with the resume and its purpose should set up an appointment to meet with Christopher Perrello Morgan Mastronardi or Jeffrey Fouts, the career counselors here in the iSchool.  Appointments can be made by going into Handshake and clicking on the “Request an Appointment” link from your homepage. Telephone or Skype Zoom appointments can be arranged if you are not in the Syracuse area. 

Be Persistent

Create a cover letter and attach your resume. Follow up with a phone call.

Who’s Who in the Internship Process

Here are the important players in your internship search and successful experience.

Internship Student

This is you. The weight of this experience is on you, but the benefits are yours to reap. Here are some things you MUST do:

• Be proactive in your search for an internship opportunity
• Ask questions and be persistent in securing an internship
• Turn in the necessary paperworkComplete monthly reflective journalsassignments
• Keep in touch with your Faculty Supervisor
• Coordinate the mid-point evaluation of the internship with your site supervisor and faculty supervisor (see instructions on what to do listed in the 2U online course for IST 973). 

Your Academic Advisor

This faculty member is assigned to you when you begin taking classes in the iSchool. This person is available for advising you throughout your program in the iSchool and can assist with the internship process.As  As your advisor, this person may be familiar with your future plans and with the classes you have taken, and may be able to offer these services to you:

• Identifying skills to put on your resume
• Suggesting potential sites for internships and/or employment

Your Faculty Supervisor

The faculty supervisor for LIS internships varies by semester.Your   Your faculty supervisor can help with:

• Defining tasks for your Proposal and Learning Agreement Forms
• Assist in choosing a site, or measuring the potential for success at various sites
• Approving the Proposal and Learning Agreement and reviewing the evaluation forms
• Providing feedback to your monthly journals
• Grading the experience

Site Supervisor

This is the person with whom you will work at the site. He or she is not determined until you have selected a site and been offered a position; this might not be the same person who initially accepted you. In order to qualify for this position, this person must have skills superior to yours, and must be willing to guide you and evaluate your work. The   The site supervisor’s main responsibilities are to:

• Advise you in your work
• Orient you to the site
• Provide you with the necessary space and supplies to work
• Assist with completion of the Learning Agreement, if necessary
• Participate in a midpoint evaluation with the faculty supervisor
• Evaluate your performance at the completion of your assignmentinternship work
• Communicate with the faculty supervisor in reference to your work

iSchool Career Services

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Program Manager

Career Services (icareers@syr.edu)  can help you with the internship process. She can also assist with internship registration issues and general help for internship searches. Kathy is the go-to person for CPT and OPT letters for international students.

Slutzker Center for International Services (SCIS)

International  

International students must see an advisor in this office to ensure that they can work in the United States. There is additional mandatory paperwork required by the SCIS Center for International Services that you must complete before starting an internship. The Slutzker Center is located on Walnut Place (across Waverly Ave. from Bird Library) and the telephone number is 315-443-2457. 

Overview of the Internship Process

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Just the Facts...When You've Accepted a Position

Step 1:  Register for the class through the University’s MySlice system

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. Students should register for internship experiences during the regular registration period for a semester (main campus students) or a quarter term (2U online students). Be sure to select the correct class number for graduate-level LIS internships (IST 973). Please also note that all internship courses offer LIS students must register for IST 973 for internship credit.  Please note that IST 973 has a variable amount of credit hours for the registration. A value needs to   An amount of credit hours must be entered (1 – -6 credit hours). If no value amount is entered, MySlice will default to one credit hour, so be sure to input the correct number of credit hours you are seeking for the internship. Remember that at least 3 credit hours are required of every LIS student. If you have any problems, contact Kathy Benjamin (kabenjam@syr.edu), Career Services and Employer Relations Coordinator. You may register before you have found a site if you anticipate that you will find one during a particular semester. 

 Step 2:

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This form is to be uploaded to the IST 973 2U course and provides the Internship Faculty Supervisor with a brief, overall outline of what you think you will be doing at the site. While it must have some detail, you do not need to know every aspect of your internship at this point. If you need assistance, discuss the form with your Site or Faculty Supervisor. This form MUST be turned in at least one week before you begin work.

Once you’ve started working

Step 3: Complete the Learning Agreement

This form must be completed and uploaded to the IST 973 2U course once you have worked 30 hours at the site. By this point, you will have a much better idea of exactly what you are doing on the job, and can detail your assignment more accurately. If there are changes between what you are expected to do and what you find you are actually doing, report them here. You may limit your response to the form, or attach additional pages if necessary. This form is an important part of your grade, so it should be taken seriously and filled out with care.

Step 4: Check the 2U course for additional assignments (i.e. readings, reflective papers, etc.) during the semester

Step 5: Mid-point Evaluation

It is up to you to arrange a mid-point evaluation with your faculty supervisor and site supervisor. Email the faculty supervisor with a request to contact the site supervisor once you are approaching the midpoint of the work experience. Do not wait until the internship is almost over.

Step 6: Finish the work assignment

At this point, you must complete the Student Evaluation Form. This form will not affect your grade, but will give you the opportunity to rate the value of the experience in relation to your overall program at IST and to your career goals. This form must be uploaded to the IST 973 2U course.

Step 7: Ensure that your Site Supervisor has completed the Site Supervisor Evaluation Form 

Your supervisor will receive a copy of this form early in your work experience (usually after you submit your Proposal form with contact information), but it is a good idea for you to make sure that he or she is in possession of the correct form, and that it is returned in a timely manner.

The site supervisor should complete the form prior to your last day of internship, in order that the evaluation be shared with you.

Completed evaluation forms should be sent electronically to Kathy Benjamin (kabenjam@syr.edu) or faxed to her attention (315-443-5673).

This evaluation is designed to provide you valuable feedback on your performance. In addition to the form provided by the iSchool, the site supervisor may choose to evaluate your performance using an in-house evaluation form. This is also an excellent time to request that your Site Supervisor provide you with a reference letter for your future use.

Step 8: Complete any additional assignments for Faculty Supervisor

If required. 

Required Forms and Documents and How to Submit Them

All forms marked with a * are required to earn credit.

All forms should be uploaded to the Blackboard course for IST 971, with the exception of the Site Supervisor Evaluation form, which must be emailed to Kathy Benjamin (kabenjam@syr.edu) by the site supervisor.

You can find all the forms on the iSchool Career Services website: https://ischool.syr.edu/careers/career-resources/internships/

Resume 

This is your primary method of introducing yourself to potential employers. It usually consists of 1 page, highlighting education, skills, and work experience.

Resources:

• iSchool Career Services Resume Resources
• iSchool Career Counselor
• Faculty Advisor

Cover Letter

A cover letter may serve as an introduction to an employer by accompanying your resume, or act as your formal application for a position. It should be one page, clearly stating why you are the person for the job.

Resources:

• iSchool Career Services Cover Letter Resources
• iSchool Career Counselor
• Faculty Advisor

Proposal Form*

This form is required in order to earn credit for your internship (IST 973)

This form must be filled out by you, the student, and uploaded to the 2U course for IST 973. It is due at least one week before beginning a work assignment. This form provides information about the assignment such as where and with whom you will be working, and gives a brief outline of the tasks that have been discussed with the Site Supervisor.

Learning Agreement*

This form is required in order to earn credit for your internship (IST 973)

This form is to be filled out by you and uploaded to the 2U course for IST 973* by you, in cooperation with your Site Supervisor. It is due after completion of 30 hours of work on the site. This form will establish precise learning objectives which will be met throughout the assignment, details the project and the tasks to be completed, and finalizes your responsibility to the employer.

Student Evaluation*

This form is required in order to earn credit for your internship (IST 973)

This evaluation is due upon completion of the work assignment, and provides you with an opportunity to rate the work experience and the internship process. Your comments on this form will not affect your grade, but it must be uploaded to the 2U course for IST 973 before the grade is assigned.

Site Supervisor Evaluation*

This form is required in order to earn credit for your internship (IST 973)

The Site Supervisor Evaluation is due upon completion of the work assignment. Your site supervisor should have received a copy of the evaluation early in your internship. The evaluation provides the Site Supervisor with the opportunity to express satisfaction or dissatisfaction with your performance, and helps in determination of a grade. Site supervisors should send the form to Kathy Benjamin (kabenjam@syr.edu).

Grading and Credit for IST 973

Your Final Grade

The person responsible   Review the course syllabus in the Blackboard or Canva for IST 973 to see the required assignments and when they are due during the internship timeline.   

 Step 3:  The Internship Proposal must becompleted via Qualtrics. Initial Reflection is to be uploaded to the LMS. Qualtrics links are sent to students registered for IST 973 by the faculty supervisor.  Reflection papers will be submitted to the LMS for IST 973. 

Once you’ve started working

Step 4:  Complete the Learning Agreement.  This form must be completed through the Qualtrics link for IST 973 once you have worked30 hours at the site. By this point, you will have a much better idea of exactly what you are doing on the job, and can detail your assignment more accurately. If there are changes between what you are expected to do and what you find you are actually doing, report them here. You may limit your response to the form, or attach additional pages if necessary. This form is an important part of your grade, so it should be taken seriously and filled out with care. 

Step 5:  Midway point.  It is up to you to arrange a mid-point evaluation with your faculty supervisor and site supervisor.  You should email the faculty supervisor with a request to contact the site supervisor once you are approaching the midpoint of the work experience. Do not wait until the internship is almost over. The faculty supervisor will then reach out to the supervisor. 

Step 6:  Finish the work assignment.  At this point, you must complete the Student Evaluation Form. This form will not affect your grade, but will give you the opportunity to rate the value of the experience in relation to your overall program at the iSchool and to your career goals. This form must be submitted to the Qualtrics link for IST 973.  You must also submit the Final Reflection  paper.  This is to be uploaded to the LMS for IST 973. 

Step 7:  Ensure that your Site Supervisor has completed the Site Supervisor Evaluation Form. Your supervisor will receive a link to the form when you're finishing your internship experiences. The site supervisor should complete the form prior to your last day of internship so the evaluation can be shared with you. This evaluation is designed to provide you valuable feedback on your performance. In addition to the form provided by the School of Information Studies, the site supervisor may choose to evaluate your performance using an in-house evaluation form.  This is also an excellent time to request that your Site Supervisor provide you with a reference letter for your future use. 

 Step 8:  Complete any additional assignments for Faculty Supervisor, if required.

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Getting Credit

Basically Basically, the hours spent at the work site are those included toward your earning credit. However, in some cases, the employer may allow you to work remotely for a portion of the internship.   This does not include hours spent traveling to and from the internship site.

A rule of thumb: 1 Credit = 50 work hours.          

                                 For three (3) credits, you must work 150 hours.

                                For six (6) credits, you must work 300 hours.

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Be  Be sure to register for the correct number of credits. If you need to change your registration, please contact Kathy Benjamin (kabenjam@syr.edu or 315-443-4496).  

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LIS Internship Checklist

1. Finding an Internship Opportunity
   • Meet with your Academic Advisor
   • Use Handshake, the online recruiting tool used by Syracuse University, to assist in finding internships and employment
   • Read the internship process outlined in this internship guide book
   • Propose a project you would like to work at as part of the internship. Project: A definable undertaking (project) with a beginning and an end. This may be part of normal job duties but forming a distinct entity that the student develops and finishes. This is a necessary part of the internship experience. This proposed project would be discussed by the student with a potential site supervisor during the early stages of an internship search. It should also be a part of your Learning Agreement.
2. After you have accepted an offer
   • Contact your Faculty Supervisor
   • Register for IST 973 for the correct section
   • Meet with your Site Supervisor
   • Fill out the Graduate  LIS Proposal Form, upload submit it to the 2U course Qualtrics link for IST 973
3. During the internship
   • Fill out the Learning Agreement, upload submit it to the 2U course Qualtrics link for IST 973
   • Work the necessary number of hours
   • Contact your faculty supervisor when you are approaching the midpoint of the internship to arrange for a Midpoint evaluation
   • Complete any remaining assignments for your Faculty Supervisor
4. Upon completion of the work assignment
   • Fill out the Student Evaluation Form and upload submit it to the 2U course Qualtrics link for IST 973
   • Remind your Site Supervisor to complete the Site Supervisor Evaluation Form
   • Complete any remaining assignment(s) (if required) for your Faculty Supervisor

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Sample Internship Projects

Academic Library Internship Projects

LibGuides Migration: Serve as the project manager for the migration of LibGuides content from version 1 to version 2. This involves investigating all the steps involve in prepping for the migration, identifying and proposing resources that should be altered or removed, creating the assets lists, and potentially training staff on best practices for using version 2. This may also involve recommending a color palette and fonts and developing a style guide.

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I will be co-teaching an information literacy course LIB/CHEM 280. In this role, I will be the primary grader, attend and assist at all classes, and plan and teach 2 sessions on my own. In addition, I will be editing and creating LibGuides for the library website, assisting in an assessment of Biology students’ use of the library, and observing library instruction sessions for various individual courses.

Public Library Internship Projects

As an intern for KCLS’s Burien Library, I will:

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In addition I will be assisting the staff with any projects that they see would fit my interest and give me a chance to learn something new and gain new experiences.

Historical Society, Special Library, and Non-profit Library Internship Projects

I will be assisting library staff in cataloging and helping as a stacks assistant. Specific tasks: use OCLC and copy cataloging, input data in MARC fields using AACR2 in EOS database, if no records exists, create original catalog record under supervision of librarian, assign LOC call number and add barcode, maintain shelves, shelf reading, re-shelving, shifting, assess miscataloged, mislabeled, and damaged materials, help package and process interlibrary loans, help with other projects as needed.

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My internship at the Denver Women's Correctional Facility will comprise mainly of a user needs assessment. I will develop goals for the survey with the regional librarians of the Colorado Department of Corrections, research how to write a user needs survey, and draft a survey in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. I'll distribute the survey to all 907 inmates at the facility, and I'll use in-house statistical data and circulation records in conjunction with the survey results to write an assessment of the needs of the population. After finishing the user needs assessment, I will use the survey data to assess the collection at the Denver Women's Correctional Facility. In addition, the survey I develop will be made available to other Colorado Department of Corrections libraries for use. 

Medical Library Internship Projects

Based on my office discussions and email exchanges with my site supervisor, my planned project involves two different, but complementary activities at the Health Sciences Library.

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I am conducting literature searches for doctors, nurses and other employees in the hospital. Sometimes there are requests for specific articles and other times there are specific questions for which I just search for answers. In addition, I spend time at the reference desk greeting patrons and answering the phone. Finally, I attend meetings with hospital library staff members concerning various projects.

Law Library Internship Projects

As an intern at the Cornell University Law Library, I will be working on two projects, both concerned with the Law Library’s special collections. First, I will be organizing the small Law School Archives. The archive contains rare books and manuscripts, historical materials from trials, personal papers from notable alumni, and internal archival material from the school and the library. Some of the material has already been organized and processed by previous interns or as part of university library collaborations. Most of the internal archival material is completely unprocessed, though there are box lists for some. I will be incorporating new, unprocessed materials into the existing collection, while creating standard procedures for the use of materials and infrastructure to allow the Law Library to incorporate new material into the existing collection. This is to include drafting policies and template forms for acquisitions, circulation, and cataloging, and identifying areas for growth. Any work on finding aids and cataloging will comply with existing archival standards, as well as fitting in to the Cornell University Library system standards. In addition, I will conduct an environmental analysis of the archives space, then organize and arrange the collections within the archives to maximize space and material security while addressing issues of oversize materials. I will also create finding aids for semi- and un-processed collections, curate exhibits from materials, and complete basic preservation work. The second project will focus on the library’s digital collections. I will be developing digital collections in BePress’s Digital Commons Institutional Repository for the Law Library. The majority of my work will be with an oral history collection, and will involve uploading files and records, developing metadata, and ensuring that files meet archival standards. I will complete the majority of this project remotely, in consultation with the digital resources and outreach librarian.

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• LibGuide on Reserve Component – update, specifically Posse Comitatus page
• JCWS (Joint and Combined Warfighting School) and JAWS (Joint Advanced Warfighting School) orientation briefings and library tours – Shadow, assist and then present/lead
• Textbook issue – work with library technicians to checkout and distribute JAWS textbooks
• Reference Desk – shadow, then assist reference librarians in answering students’ reference requests, both in-person and via email
• Circulation Desk – train on ILS and then provide user support in locating and checking-out library materials
• Using ILS, create report on usage of JCWS electives textbooks to facilitate updating of JCWS library reserves
• Complete FDLP item profile spreadsheet by populating with names and SuDoc numbers
• As needed, provide reference instruction for student workgroups
• As time allows, I will work on updating and creating more LibGuides.

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The broad nature of the various projects will provide experience in the many different roles of a librarian in a research setting. This experience is applicable in all of the various fields of librarianship that interest me- military, government, academic and/or law librarianship.

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Finally, I will act as a beta tester on several vendor applications that the law library is considering. Most immediately, I will help evaluate the beta version of the EBSCO Discovery Service that allows patrons to search a single unified index of Brooklyn Law Library’s holdings (books, articles, etc.).

Corporate Library Internship Projects 

I am implementing the DAM program that I developed last semester to manage the digital archive collection at Mithun, a large commercial architecture firm in Seattle, WA. This project aims to not only manage and make accessible the firm’s born-digital project data, but integrates existing analog data into a centralized, easily searchable database. I am reworking existing policies to reflect these changes in asset management, and creating new project closeout workflows to support policy changes and reinforce risk management practices. Although I am working independently on much of this project, I have strong support from the IT manager. I have also been recently asked to help manage the firm’s image library, by analyzing and reworking the metadata currently used in OpenAsset in order to make BIM files more accessible and searchable.

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