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Digital Projects Intern, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, MA

The New England Historic Genealogical Society seeks a Digital Projects Intern to support the ongoing digitization of rare genealogies and local history resources held by NEHGS, with the ultimate goal of making the books available online through the library’s CONTENTdm repository.

Under the supervision of the Technical Services/Metadata Librarian, the Digital Projects Intern will have the opportunity to participate in all stages of the digitization lifecycle, and will gain practical, hands-on experience with tools such as CONTENTdm Project Client, Photoshop, and Innovative Interfaces Millennium. The intern will assist with quality control, ingest, and metadata maintenance for digitized materials, as well as migration of digital library assets between systems.

Hours and Stipend: This is a paid two-month, part-time internship, 2 days (14 hours) per week. The intern will receive a monthly stipend of $500. Start date is negotiable, with a preference for late May or early June. Flexible schedule; NEHGS offices are open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 9am to 5pm, Wednesday 9am to 9pm.

Responsibilities: 

  • Migrate digitized books and metadata from legacy systems into CONTENTdm repository
  • Prepare digital images and associated metadata for ingest into repository
  • Assist with formulation of policies and best practices for ongoing digitization at NEHGS
  • Occasional scanning of rare books that have been selected for digitization
  • Involvement in related projects as necessary

Basic Qualifications

  • Currently or recently enrolled in an MLS program
  • Independent and self-motivated
  • Familiarity with best practices for digitization
  • Familiarity with basic metadata concepts and standards (Dublin Core, MARC, etc.)
  • Proficiency in common Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.)
  • Ability to learn new technology/applications quickly

Preferred Qualifications

  • Completion of or enrolment in related coursework, such as LIS 445 (Metadata), LIS 462 (Digital Libraries), LIS 448 (Digital Stewardship), or LIS 477 (Digital Asset Management for Libraries, Archives, and Museums)
  • Previous experience with Photoshop, XnView, or other image editing software
  • Previous experience with CONTENTdm or another digital repository system

About the New England Historic Genealogical Society

The New England Historic Genealogical Society has been collecting information about families in America for over 165 years. Our collections are international in scope and contain significant materials for Canada and Europe. Our 25,000 members access information through our library and website.

The NEHGS library, located at 99 Newbury Street in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood, is one of the nation’s leading research centers for genealogists of every skill level. The library houses millions of documents, manuscripts, records, books, microfilms, photographs, artifacts, electronic resources, and other items that preserve and reveal our history.

Application Instructions

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to Emily Baldoni at [email protected].