INTRODUCTION
The Central University Libraries invite graduate students of library and information studies to apply for internships. Students will participate in a structured field experience designed to enhance their graduate course work. The library and the graduate schools of library and information sciences work together to insure that the students receive appropriate academic credit for their work. The attached sample position descriptions are typical of the internships offered by the Libraries.
INTERNING IN THE CENTRAL UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
The library will ensure that interns are assigned appropriate tasks and projects. The intern will be integrated into the community of librarians by participating in appropriate meetings and by receiving all materials routed to librarians in a given department. Interns will be given the opportunity to evaluate the experience and make suggestions for improvement.
Interns will work in one, or in exceptional circumstances, two departments or units of the library. A librarian will serve as mentor or sponsor. Interns are expected to treat the internship as a professional appointment by keeping to an agreed upon schedule, completing assignments, and cooperatively participating in all activities of the department or unit.
APPLYING FOR AN INTERNSHIP
Departments and units in the Central University Libraries may choose to offer internships on a regular basis or sporadically. Students desiring to intern in the Central University Libraries should begin by contacting the administrator who supervises practicums, fieldwork or internships at their graduate school of library or information science. The administrator may make inquiries on behalf of the student. After consultation with appropriate academic advisors/administrators, a student may apply for an internship. Applications should consist of a cover letter containing a description of library functions in which the student is interested in doing an internship and a current resume.
The student’s application will be sent to an appropriate librarian. The prospective intern will be interviewed by the sponsoring librarian. If the student is accepted, the librarian and student will meet to negotiate the terms of the internship: goals and objectives, training program, schedule, the means of recording work accomplished, and evaluating the intern’s accomplishments.
Send inquiries or applications to
Email: billd@mail.smu.edu
Available: Academic year and summers.
Grad. Status: Minimum, 2nd semester student.
Salary: Unpaid. Academic credit.
Hours: Negotiable depending on number of credit hours.
Maximum 20 hours per week.
Tasks: Work in a busy reference department. Wide variety of tasks. Assist users with PONI (online catalog) and a variety of electronic resources, including Internet resources, and the reference print resources. Participate in and present continuing education for reference staff. Develop materials to support reference training and continuing education. May participate in reference materials selection. May process reference materials. May participate in user education. Special projects as required.
REQUIREMENTS: Graduate student in library information studies program. Academic background in the social sciences or humanities. Able to learn quickly and take initiative. Excellent interpersonal skills. Good oral communication skills.
Available: Academic year.
Grad. Status: Minimum, 2nd semester student.
Salary: Unpaid. Academic credit.
Hours: Negotiable depending on number of credit hours.
Maximum 20 hours per week.
Tasks: Observe user education sessions. Develop teaching materials to support user education and other teaching librarians. Team teach in user education program Special projects as required.
REQUIREMENTS: Graduate student in library information studies program. Academic background in the social sciences or humanities. Able to learn quickly and take initiative. Computer skills. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Excellent interpersonal skills.
Available: Academic year and summers
Grad. Status: Minimum, 2nd semester student.
Salary: Unpaid. Academic credit.
Hours Negotiable depending on number of credit hours.
Maximum 20 hours per week.
TASKS: Participate in a team-based Information Processing center. Assist with processing tasks including periodicals check-in and claims, materials orders and receipts, bibliographic control and authority control. Analyze system generated reports in order to claim materials and provide authority control. Project may be devoted to distinctive materials, including music, rare books and special collections, foreign languages, electronic resources. Special projects as required.
REQUIREMENTS: Graduate student in library information studies program. Academic background in the social sciences or humanities. Completed course in cataloging or in information organization. Able to learn quickly and take initiative. Computer skills. Detail oriented.
Available: Academic year and summer
Grad. Status: Minimum, 2nd semester student.
Salary: Unpaid. Academic credit.
Hours: Negotiable depending on number of credit hours.
Maximum 20 hours per week.
TASKS: Process archival materials. Develop finding aids. Assist with planning, developing, and presenting exhibits.
REQUIREMENTS: Graduate student in library information program or graduate student in history program. Academic background in the social sciences or humanities. Able to learn quickly and take initiative. Computer skills. Interest in archives and special collections.
AVAILABLE: Academic year and summers.
GRAD. STATUS Minimum, 2nd semester student.
SALARY: Unpaid. Academic credit.
HOURS: Negotiable depending on number of credit hours.
Maximum 20 hours per week.
TASKS: Work in academic library Systems Department. SMU is implementing a new client/server based automated library system in1998-99. Intern will be able to participate in variety of Systems Department tasks involving vendor selection, contracts, implementation planning and monitoring, conversion planning and implementation, profiling of system, staff and user training, marketing/ promotion of planning and monitoring, conversion planning and implementation, profiling of system, staff and user training, marketing/ promotion of new system, workflow analysis and recommendations for new system, systems administration (security, calendars, tables), and report writing.
REQUIREMENTS: Graduate student in library information studies program with interest in library automation/technology. Experience with computer systems (PCs, client/server systems, etc.) Able to learn quickly and take initiative. Well-organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable with technology.
Available: Academic year and summers.
Grad. Status: Minimum, 2nd semester student.
Salary: Unpaid. Academic credit.
Hours: Negotiable depending on number of credit hours.
Maximum 20 hours per week.
Tasks: Work in Fine Arts Library Assist with reference services. Assist users with PONI (online catalog) and a variety of electronic arts and music resources, including Internet resources, and the print resources. Develop print and electronic (Web-based) user guides to Fine Arts resources. May participate in fine arts materials selection and ordering. May assist with processing fine arts materials. May participate in user education. Special projects as required.
REQUIREMENTS: Graduate student in library information studies program. Academic background in the fine arts. Able to learn quickly and take initiative. Excellent interpersonal skills. Good oral and written communication skills.