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 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 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 School 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 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 hours for completion.  LIS internships tend to be non-paid. 

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 Career 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. 

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 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 Congress                                     Syracuse University’s Bird Library

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

Gilead Sciences, Inc.                                    Prince Georges County Public Library System

Mid-York Library System                          National Archives and Records Administration

Cornell University Libraries                     Syracuse Supreme Court Library

The Adirondack Museum                         LeMoyne College Library

Fayetteville Free Library                            Onondaga County Public Libraries

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

Onondaga Historical Association          Case Western Reserve Library                               

CNY Library Resources Council              The Society of California Pioneers

Ohio State University Libraries                Boston College Libraries

New York Public Library                               Seattle Public Library

KRIA Archives (virtual)                                 United Nations

Middlebury College Library                        OCLC

SUNY Canton, Southworth Library        ALA/Association for Library Collections and Technical Services

Just the Facts:  Finding an Internship Opportunity

In selecting a site, use the following 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.  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.

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

4. Special Needs.    International Students must consult the Center for International Services (CIS) for information regarding internships and employment. 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.

5. 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).   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. 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 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 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 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 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 assignments

• Keep in touch with your Faculty Supervisor

• Coordinate the mid-point evaluation of the internship with your site supervisor and faculty supervisor (see instructions listed in the 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 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 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

• 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 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 internship work

• Communicate with the faculty supervisor in reference to your work

iSchool Career Services 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. 

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 Center for International Services that you must complete before starting an internship. The Center is located on Walnut Place (across Waverly Ave. from Bird Library) and the telephone number is 315-443-2457. 

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

Step 1:  Register for the class through the University’s MySlice system. Students should register for internship experiences during the regular registration period for a semester (main campus students) or a quarter term (online students). 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.  An amount of credit hours must be entered (1-6 credit hours). If no amount is entered, MySlice will default to one credit hour, so be sure to input the number of credit hours you are seeking for the internship. Remember that at least 3 credit hours are required of every LIS student. You may register before you have found a site if you anticipate that you will find one during a particular semester. 

 Step 2:  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 be completed 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 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 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.

Getting Credit

 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.        

 Be sure to register for the correct number of credits.  

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 LIS Proposal Form, submit it to the Qualtrics link for IST 973

3. During the internship

   • Fill out the Learning Agreement, submit it to the 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 submit it to the Qualtrics link for IST 973

   • Remind your Site Supervisor to complete the Site Supervisor Evaluation Form

   • Complete any remaining assignment(s) for your Faculty Supervisor

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.

Circulation Desk Assistance: After completing an extensive training series, staff the Circulation Desk when the Circulation Desk Assistant is away for lunch or conducting inventory. Potentially assist with inventory and shelving of books.

Reference Desk Assistance: Staff the Reference Desk and be prepared to answer questions from patrons who visit the library. McCain Library has very few summer courses so most of these questions will be directional and technological in nature. Assist the User Education Librarian in end of year reporting by ensuring all stats are properly categorized. Provide back- up chat reference as needed.

LibGuides Development: Once the LibGuides migration prep is complete. Evaluate the collection of guides and identify 2-3 to create, update, or redesign to improve the collection of guides offered.

Instruction Assistance: Evaluate the three pre-class quizzes assigned to students in the first year foundations course and recommend changes. Tailor the content of the quizzes to one of the first year foundation courses offered in Fall 2015. Also, learn about how the library supports the faculty teaching online courses.

Networking: Visit local libraries and attend local networking events to learn about positions and projects in different types of Georgia libraries.

 ***

My internship project for XXXX Library will be completed in conjunction with my other daily duties as a Library Assistant (sending out/discharging InterLibrary Loan and EZ Borrow materials, manning the circulation desk, helping patrons with research assistance and technical questions, answering the phones, updating our book display once a month and helping out with social media posts/maintenance) and involves helping to transfer materials to other XXX State campuses as well as weeding monographs and serials. Our branch of the library is drastically downsizing and moving to a smaller space on the campus, and as such we have an incredible amount of materials to rehome.

***

Archives and Special Collections Intern

• Cataloging and digitization of archives using new PastPerfect software

• Digitalization of photographs from the Roosevelt Wildlife Station photographic archives

• Cataloging of William M. Harlow Film Series

 *** 

The University of XXX Image Collection library processes visual works from photographs, slides, and books into their collection. In comparison to the university archive and special collections or the scholarly communications department, the ICL processes materials primarily based on whether the materials serve an educational purpose. The ICL’s collection is hosted on a collection software called LUNA that is only accessible with log in or on the university’s local network (which requires its own log in credentials). This allows the ICL to provide materials legally under the Fair Use Act. Often, the ICL receives materials from community members for processing. If the items are both unique and will be beneficial as learning materials, then they are accepted into the collection. This means that the items are scanned, catalogued according to a modified version of the VRA Core, and then are available for the original owner to pick up if they desire. My project over the summer includes two such personal collections. The first is a collection of travel photography slides found at a local flea market. It consists of original photography of architectural works from all over Europe. The second part of the project would be to digitize a set of slides, as well as information from a travel journal, of a community member’s deceased aunt and her travels throughout the world.

***

Interns will have the opportunity to assist in all areas of the Moon Library archives and special collections, following are activities and concepts to be covered during this internship include (but are not limited to):

• Assist with adding records, data, descriptions and images to archival/special software such as PastPerfect Software.

• Help with answering reference questions related to the archives and special collections which may include hands on work with the collections and scanning.

• Assist with processing donations and digitization.

• Assist with displays.

• Hands on work with collection maintenance and preservation.

***

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:

• Plan, promote and participate in children’s story times with the children’s librarian, both in the library and at Library2Go mobile services outreach trips.

• Conduct research for an iPad tablet pilot project, in which Burien Library will test how librarians can use iPads for outreach, assistance and more; this is something Burien Library has not done before. I will research what other public libraries have done with tablets, contact these libraries to get more information, attend pilot project meetings to discuss next moves, and assist with various project needs as they come.

• Complete collection and weeding projects, including an audiobook weeding project at Burien Library.

• Complete a reference orientation to online databases and reference webinars. Use this knowledge while shadowing the information desk and providing input for reference questions and reader’s advisory to patrons of all ages.

• Assist with various library programs and outreach events.

• Attend and observe various staff meetings.

• Attend community meetings and explore community partnerships. Reflect on what they mean in Burien Library’s cluster.

***

My project is two-fold (with a possible third piece if time allows). I am working to complete a range of back-cataloging (including books, DVDs, audio-book CDs, and Vermont Collection items). The cataloging involves inputting item information into the OPAC shared by over fifty Vermont libraries known as VOKAL (the Vermont Organization of Koha Automated Libraries). For items which already exist in the VOKAL system, I am simply checking the records and adding the item for our local collection. However, most items that I have entered, do not already exist in the VOKAL system and so I am doing a combination of some copy cataloging (using the Z39 sources and WorldCat records when available) as well as some original cataloging for some of the more obscure and/or new resources.

***

The second part of my internship involves a reorganization and collection analysis/development project. I am looking at the library’s graphic novel collections (in their Easy Reader, Juvenile, Young Adult, and Adult collections). The first step has been to assess the current collection, identify any items which are not currently housed with the graphic novels and determine whether or not they should be moved. Next, in consultation with the library director and assistant library director, we are determining how to house the graphic novel collections (keeping them all in 741.5 or moving them to their own sections with new call numbers and organization by fiction, non-fiction, biography, etc. I will be responsible for updating the records of all items to be moved, creating new spine labels, and executing the physical move of all materials to their new shelving locations. Currently the plan is to break out the Easy Reader, Juvenile, and Young Adult graphic novel collections so all titles in these sections will require new call numbers, spine labels, etc. The plan for the adult collection is to be determined.

***

Once this initial reorganization has been accomplished, I will be moving into a collection development phase. I will be looking at the graphic novels in all age ranges to identify any major gaps or missing items. I will pay particular attention to the young adult and adult (which is currently very small) sections to see what titles we may want to add to the collection. I will be compiling a list of recommendations for the library director. I will catalog any new items added as a result of this project. At the completion of this collection development process I will design and create a brochure to draw more attention to the graphic novel collections in the library. The brochure will be used to call attention to the collections, introduce the uninitiated, and highlight some of the most popular or most acclaimed graphic novels in the collection.

***

The possible third project of the internship has to do with weeding the juvenile fiction collection, and the juvenile and young adult non-fiction collections. Time allowing, I will be analyzing these segments of the collection with a goal of removing under-utilized or outdated materials. I will also be looking for any gaps in information, and making recommendations for titles that might fill said gaps.

***

I will be working on several collections of historic analog audio tapes. One particular collection is a recent donation from the Les Paul estate, which consists of New York City news reports form the 1970s. The work will include:

• Learning how to maintain open reel audio playback equipment

• Audio tape splicing, condition assessment, and format identification

• Learning the analog-to-digital workflows at the WNYC Archives and usingProTools, and the WNYC digital asset management system, dAVid

• Cataloging historic audio recordings using Library of Congress taxonomies and the PBCore metadata schema

• Researching photos and content for publishing on various WNYC social media outlets

• Curating the WNYC archives Tumblr page

• General cataloging, filing, and re-shelving of the archives materials as needed

• Helping with reference work as needed

***

There are three main projects that I’d like to work on for the rest of my time at the Harker Heights Public Library. The first is to make the HHPL’s website more user friendly with updated information. This is how the majority of the public will access the library. It is important that they have accurate information and that it’s presented in a way that appeals to users. I will go through each page of the library’s website and write up areas of improvement or suggestions. The library will then take these suggestions under consideration so that they can forward the necessary changes to IT services. I will provide detailed notes along with prints of each screen so that the corresponding information can help with some visual changes.

***

My second project will be to help promote the virtual services of the library. This includes providing information in the library. I will work to create a brochure that lists the services of the virtual library and also promote the amazing resources at the library. It is the hope that there will be an increase in use of the virtual library especially all the great electronic resources. In addition, I will work to create a flyer that can be posted around the town so that others outside the library are aware of these resources as well. Another part of this project will be to create a brochure specifically designed for elementary and middle school students. This will list the kid friendly resources available in the virtual library and promote information literacy.

***

My final project will be with cataloging. I will work to build a list of “incomplete” materials. These will include materials that are not missing individual pieces such a single DVD or CD. It will help to update the records in the collection so that these materials can be weeded or replaced. I also hope to work on updating the “summary” fields for some of the records. This will help to improve the users ability to select books from the catalog. The records are currently bought and imported as copy-cataloging.

***

I will assist with daily activities at the library as well as a few different projects, including:

• The library will be expanding soon and I will be helping make that transition.

• The library will be using a new circulation system soon and I will be helping enter the collection into the new system.

• The library will be hosting a summer reading program this summer and I will be helping with entries and prizes.

*** 

I will be sorting, and processing unprocessed archives of significance to Onondaga County and the city of Syracuse. The first collection I am working on is a set of documents and papers regarding the history of gay rights activism in the city of Syracuse. There are several collections that are available for me to work on throughout my internship experience here.

I will research the collection using the Syracuse newspapers database and other library reference material. Upon completion of the sorting and processing, I will be creating a physical and digital finding aid using the Oxygen XML editor. In the physical sense, I will be re-foldering and re-housing the material in a manner that will make it physically assessable at the library should researchers wish to access it, as it is currently not stored in a manner that is well-documented or organized. I will also be ensuring the material will be properly preserved and kept in a manner that will further guarantee it is available to future generations.

I will also use MARC edit on the EAD Finding Aids to create library catalog records for each collection. I will also be scanning photographs which are linked to the EAD Finding Aids if any, and possibly creating a file of the photos and related metadata on the website New York Heritage.

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 will comprise of two main components:

1. The Weeding/Reorganizing of Materials

2. The Youth Voices Matter Program

   1. Weekly Workshop

   2. Open Mic 2x/month

Weeding/Reorganizing

Since the library hasn’t been used as a library in some time, and instead more as a storage and meeting space, many of the items have collected dust and have become outdated. The project that I will take on will consist of weeding the collection of these outdated materials and reorganizing the space so that the materials left are easily browsable by center users and future patrons.

In addition, I will also be making connections with other organizations, libraries, and persons who may be able to help with the weeding process. I will also use these connections to establish a relationship between the Dunbar Center and these entities so that future connections and collaborations can occur. If time permits, I will help create a Mission and Vision statement with Dr. Jackson for the library space, which we will then present to the Board of Directors.

Lastly, I will create a binder that will outline and describe the work I have done during my internship, along with necessary steps/suggestions for moving forward. This will be passed along after my internship to inform and provide guidance to those who wish to carry on the project further (i.e. to create a catalog of the material or to connect the library to an external system like OCPL or CLRC).

Below are my project goals in condensed form.

Project Goals:

1. Weed Collection so that it is up-to-date and ready for new materials

2. Reorganize shelf-space and materials so that visitors may easily browse and find items

3. Create a library Mission and Vision Statement with Dr. J. and present it to Dunbar Board (if time permits – this may take place after the official internship hours are complete)

4. Make connections with CLRC, Local Public Librarians, and other useful contacts that may provide insight for further direction with the project (during and after the allotted hours)

5. Create a “binder” of progress and potential steps forward for incoming interns/volunteers

YVM Program

The Youth Voices Matter Program is a collaborative idea that Dr. J. and myself (along with a few others) established at the beginning of my internship. We both felt very strongly about providing a space for youth to explore their experiences and use creative expression to share their thoughts and spread their voices. The program consists of a weekly workshop series that I have developed a curriculum for, along with a bi-weekly Open Mic dedicated to youth that myself and two others organize and host.

The YVM program also consists of a Street Team that I lead which meets regularly to plan and further establish the YVM Program. So far a mission statement has already been established and the team is looking for ways to share the YVM movement with more youth and the Syracuse community. The Street Team is also in the process of creating guiding documents that will assist with expanding the YVM program to other centers and locations in the future.

Below are my YVM goals in condensed form.

YVM Goals:

1. Develop Proposal for YVM Workshop and Open Mic Series (completed 1/9/15)

2. Facilitate Creative Expression and Personal Development Workshops