Interns, Lesbian Herstory Archives, New York City, NY

The Lesbian Herstory Archives  (located in Park Slope, Brooklyn, NYC) is looking for graduate and undergraduate students with a demonstrated interest in Lesbian Studies, History and Activism.  We have a number of exciting archival, library, data migration projects for the upcoming academic year as well as planning museum exhibits, LHA At Home events and fundraising efforts.

We believe that internships should be mutually beneficial. The Archives’ structure/process combines individual autonomy with group goals and consensus decision-making. We seek to match interns with their interest areas, based on a wide variety of options. However, volunteers (including coordinators) staff the Archives, answer and return phone calls, and do the general work of keeping the Archives functioning on a day-to-day basis, and we expect interns to do the same.

Other ongoing work includes: identifying and assigning items to proper subject files and special collections, reorganizing collections for proper preservation, creating signage or updating collection information and labels, answering research questions received by mail and phone, cataloguing video and audio tapes, book collection maintenance and development, three-dimensional object collection processing and maintenance, research in preparation for exhibits, giving tours of the collections to international and domestic visitors, gardening, carpentry, building maintenance etc. In addition to the above, interns sometimes initiate their own projects. Examples of intern-generated projects have included: organization of the graphics flat files, creation of a guide to the special collections, the creation of an exhibit of butch-femme identity exhibit (shown at LHA and in Greenwich Village storefront windows) and cataloguing and indexing of the Lesbian History edition of Frontiers.

Time Commitment 
Although there is no limit to how long a woman may intern, we ask for a commitment of at least l0 hours per week for no less than eight weeks (or more hours per week for a shorter period of time). In addition, interns are expected to attend coordinator meetings (two hours every third week).

Days and hours of interning are arranged in accordance with the needs of both the intern and LHA. The Archives strives to keep its doors open a maximum number of hours/days a week; interns can arrange schedules for both days and evenings, during the week and on weekends. 

Skills 
Interns should have a personal interest in and commitment to the Archives’ mission. Ease in working with a diverse public is an asset. No specific coursework or academic background is required. An interest in Lesbian Studies, Women’s Studies, and/or Lesbian/Gay issues is a strength, as is exposure to women’s communities and experience in working in a group environment with consensus.

Supervision/Advising 
Archives coordinators include professors, librarians, teachers, writers, community cultural workers, social workers, filmmakers, graduate students, artists, craftswomen, journalists, and translators. An appropriate match between a coordinator and an intern will be established to provide both orientation and ongoing supervision. Interns have direct contact with Archives coordinators and volunteers. Beyond this, interns are expected to be comfortable with working autonomously. Evaluation forms and collaboration with an intern advisor from an academic institution may be arranged.

How To Apply 
An interested intern is advised to send a cover letter describing her familiarity with the Archives, her background, areas of interest and proposed internship period. A phone interview, correspondence or a visit to the Archives is conducted in order to determine whether an internship is of mutual interest. Please note: As The Archives is an all-volunteer run organization- it can neither pay interns nor house them. When possible, LHA volunteers may assist in finding appropriate short-term housing options for interns.