SLIS Jobline Your Source for Professional, Pre-Professional, and Internship Positions

Paid Summer Internships (Numerous Positions), U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC

Posted October 21, 2016

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Research Library and National Transportation Library (NTL), both located in the Washington, D.C. area, are seeking students pursuing MLS degrees (or equivalents) for paid, full-time internships for the period June 5 – August 11, 2017.  These internships are being offered as part of the United States Department of Transportation’s Summer Transportation Internship Program for Diverse Groups (STIPDG). The internships include a $5,000 stipend, along with travel (relocation) arrangements and shared housing for participants whose permanent residences are more than 50 miles away from their assignment locations. The deadline for submitting an application is January 20, 2017. For more information on the program, including requirements and application instructions, please see: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/education/stipdg.cfm. If you have further questions about applying, please send an email to [email protected].

When applying, please select your interest areas as the “Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)” and the “Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R),” each with the specialty “Library Science.” 

The following are potential internship projects. Responsibilities may be modified depending on the number of accepted applicants and the interest areas of the candidates.  For more information about individual projects, please contact Deena Adelman at [email protected] or 202-493-3058.

CATALOGING INTERN (Federal Highway Administration Research Library, McLean, VA)

Responsibilities:

  1. Create catalog records for print technical materials; perform simple and complex copy cataloging; assist in the creation of original cataloging records; assign subject headings and call numbers.
  2. Review donations and current collection to determine whether materials should be kept based on established criteria.
  3. Create and modify authority records in the library’s integrated library system (ILS).

Desired Qualifications:

Coursework and/or experience in cataloging; familiarity and/or experience with MARC, RDA, AACR2, and LC Subject Headings, Authorities, and Classification System. Excellent communication, organizational, and analytical skills; Willingness to adapt to changing situations and take on new tasks. Ability to meet established deadlines with products that reflect professionalism.

 

DIGITAL REPOSITORY AND PUBLIC ACCESS INTERN (National Transportation Library, Washington, DC)

Metadata, Digitization Programs, and Collection Analysis

Responsibilities:

  1. Apply metadata and index digital transportation collections.  Assess records for duplication, adherence to NTL metadata policy, and metadata quality. Make recommendations for the improvement of NTL’s policy pages on metadata services, digital repository, and public access processes. Contribute new term recommendations for the Transportation Research Thesaurus. Work with NTL Metadata Librarians on authority control projects, such as improving the integration of ORCID into NTL systems and developing funding award controlled lists for public access compliance.
  2. Participate in workflow assessment (e.g., pilot testing machine-aided processes and new cloud-based workflows). Work with NTL Digital Librarian and NTL Metadata Librarians on development of a Last Copy Digitization program for transportation, including developing policy, assessing stakeholder needs, and identifying best practices.
  3. Assist in furthering NTL’s social media efforts to promote library resources and services.

Desired Qualifications:

Coursework and/or experience in metadata, cataloging, and indexing; knowledge of and/or familiarity with non-MARC metadata (e.g., Dublin Core).  Familiarity and/or experience with public access & open access processes and compliance; and collection assessment.  Candidate should possess strong organizational and analytical skills; excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to meet established deadlines with products that reflect professionalism.

 

RESEARCH DATA SERVICES INTERN (National Transportation Library, Washington, DC)

Data Management and Curation

Responsibilities:

  1. Work with the NTL Data Curator in the provision of data services to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and the US Department of Transportation. Services include Data Public Access Guidance & Advocacy, Data Management Guidance & Training, Best Practices Implementation, Data Curation, and Data Access & Preservation. Assist with evaluating data management plans, reviewing dataset submissions to the National Transportation Data Archive, minting Digital Object Identifiers, developing policies, and conducting training. Last copy digitization program
  2. Apply metadata and create records for data sets submitted to the National Transportation Data Archive; participate in data curation assessment of content in the repository.
  3. Assist in furthering NTL’s social media efforts to promote library resources and services.

Desired Qualifications:

Coursework and/or experience in data management/curation, metadata, and/or user experience; strong organizational and analytical skills.  Knowledge of and/or familiarity with non-MARC metadata (e.g., Dublin Core, PREMIS). Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to meet established deadlines with products that reflect professionalism.

 

PROGRAM AND REPOSITORY ASSESSMENT INTERN (National Transportation Library, Washington, DC)

Program Assessment and Repository Evaluation

Responsibilities:

  1. Assess collections using data visualization software (such as Tableau) and other tools (e.g., Altmetrics) for gaps in coverage, duplication, adherence to NTL Collection Development policy, and metadata quality. Support NTL program evaluation through the development of metrics dashboards using visualization software and other tools. Participate in development of metrics that represent NTL activities and services. Develop and integrate visualizations, dashboards, and metrics into the NTL website, which uses the Drupal content management system.
  2. Work with NTL Digital Librarian, NTL Metadata Librarians, and NTL Systems Team in the preparation and planning for trusted repository certification. Participate in federal agency working groups discussing best practices for trusted repository certification, and assist in creating documentation and other resources needed to undergo a repository audit.
  3. Assist in furthering NTL’s social media efforts to promote library resources and services.

Desired Qualifications:

Coursework and/or experience in Human Computer Interaction, data visualization, and repository or program assessment.  Familiarity and/or experience with digital libraries, assessment and/or evaluation methodologies, and visualization techniques. Knowledge of public access and open access processes and compliance.  Candidate should possess strong organizational and analytical skills; excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to meet established deadlines with products that reflect professionalism.

 

CONSORTIUM SERVICES INTERN (National Transportation Library, Washington, DC)

National Transportation Knowledge Network Coordinating Committee support

Responsibilities:

  1. Work with the NTL Director and staff in the support of the National Transportation Knowledge Network (NTKN). The NTKN Coordinating Committee is led by NTL and provides operational support for its members. Consortium support includes activities such as project management of collaborative national projects, development and maintenance of the NTKN website (based on LibGuides), and professional development in the areas of data and information management through webinars and other learning platforms.
  2. Assist NTL Director and NTKN Coordinating Committee in developing and executing a communications plan on the value of LIS to the transportation community. Identify outreach opportunities and draft communications highlighting NTKN activities and impact. Conduct an assessment NTKN Coordinating Committee progress against its strategic plan.
  3. Assist in furthering NTL’s social media efforts to promote library resources and services.

Desired Qualifications:

Coursework and/or experience in information literacy, instructional technology, services to special populations, outreach, marketing, and communications. Knowledge of and/or familiarity with STEM fields, program evaluation, project management, and needs assessments. Candidate should possess strong organizational and analytical skills; excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to meet established deadlines with products that reflect professionalism.

For more information about the libraries, please see the following web sites:

Archive Positions Opportunities for Current Students