The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation awards several paid archival internships each year to undergraduate and graduate students majoring in history, government, archival administration, library science, English, journalism, communications and other related disciplines.
Archives Processing Unit
Interns in the Library's Processing Unit participate in a wide variety of projects under the direction of professional archivists. Students gain career-relevant archival experience in a Presidential Library while contributing to the work of the institution. Internships may be available in the following areas:
- Textual: Interns learn the basic principles of arrangement and description, as well as preservation and rehousing techniques.
- Digital: Interns participate in the preparation and scanning of archival materials. Additionally, they will learn about metadata creation for a large-scale digitization initiative and the current theories and practices surrounding content management and digital asset management systems.
- Oral History: Interns participate in the transcription, editing, and organization of the Oral History Program. Duties may include web page creation and editing.
Ernest Hemingway Collection Unit
Interns in the Ernest Hemingway Collection will gain career-relevant archival experience with the papers of a significant 20th century author. They assist with clerical tasks, preservation, processing, and reference work. The collection is being reboxed, refoldered, and the online finding aid for the collection is being updated. There may also be opportuniteis to reorganize portions of the collection. Besides containing Hemingway's manuscripts and correspondence, the collection includes many personal objects. To learn more about the collection, please visit the Ernest Hemingway page.
Audiovisual Archives Unit
Interns in the Audiovisual Archives primarily assist staff in answering reference requests and making reproductions of audiovisual materials. In the course of their duties, AV archives interns handle original photographs, negatives, ¼” reel-to-reel audio tape, and motion picture film, among other media. In fulfilling reproduction requests, AV archives interns learn to use the video editing system, the digital audio workstation, and the photo scanning station. Opportunities for supervised projects include audio and video tape logging and duplication, still photo and film processing and arrangement, and preservation work, depending on the student’s interests/skills and the archives’ needs. Some clerical duties may be assigned as needed.
Research Room Unit
Interns in the Research Room assist the staff in answering reference requests and locating requested materials. Interns may work on holdings maintenance and web page creation. Some clerical duties may be assigned as needed.
Declassification Unit
The Declassification Unit is primarily responsible for the review and processing of collections which contain classified national security information. Interns assist the staff in providing access to newly released and declassified materials to researchers, former administration officials and other members of the general public. Interns participate in basic preservation, duplication, and filing of archival documents, help provide reference service to researchers, perform administrative tasks, and conducting document research to assist the unit in its review efforts. The Declassification Unit seeks detail oriented individuals with a strong interest in 20th century American history and foreign policy, who are able to work independently on tasks as assigned.
Museum Collections
Interns in the Museum Collections Department engage in team and individual projects focused on collection management, conservation, and exhibit development. While working with the Library's three-dimensional collection, students gain experience in museum registration, collection documentation, and exhibit preparation.
The Library requires that interns make a minimum commitment of 12 hours per week. Interns are paid at the rate of $12.50 per hour. The Library will also consider proposals for unpaid internships, independent study projects, work-study employment, and internships undertaken for academic credit. Internships are available to United States citizens or resident aliens who have a Social Security number.
Internships are offered throughout the year as funds and positions become available, depending on the needs of the staff.
For a current list of internship opportunities, please visit our Internship Vacancies page.