The Folklife Internship provides experiences in archival practice, cultural heritage research, and programming, while building participants’ knowledge about ethnographic materials. AFC staff supervise work on projects aligned with the successful applicant’s qualifications and interests. US citizens currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate school are invited to apply for consideration, as are community scholars or other individuals with experience working in the heritage sector.
Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision. Familiarity with concepts relevant to preserving and presenting folklife and cultural heritage. Internship is open to non-students and students alike, so there are multiple ways to demonstrate qualification: - through completion of substantive coursework in fields such as folklore, ethnomusicology, American studies, anthropology, heritage studies, or library and archives management of cultural materials; or - equivalent experience working in the field with communities on cultural heritage documentation, presentation, and/or preservation 2. MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR FULL TEN WEEK PERIOD. (NO EXCEPTIONS) (Note: The start and ending dates have changed to coincide with the beginning of the pay period cycle.) You may choose to start dates are May 19, June 2, or June 31, 2025, internship extends for ten weeks from chosen starting date. 3. Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of a personnel security/suitability investigation. 4. Resume (either uploaded or created using the Resume Builder). 5. If applicable: latest transcript from the current or most recently attended college or university; unofficial copy acceptable. 6. Cover letter stating professional objectives, interests in internship and related fields, and relevant professional skills; include language abilities if relevant. The cover letter should clearly identify your top 2 project choices and why you have chosen them. 7. Contact information for two (2) references who can speak to your knowledge, skills, and abilities when it comes to professional aptitude in project-driven work environments.
This program offers participants insights into the environment and activities of the American Folklife Center, which pairs robust cultural programming with the world's largest ethnographic archive. Interns will be exposed to a broad spectrum of public programs and archives work: artist liaison, production, preservation, reference, access standards, and information management. Depending on the specific project they are assigned, interns will assist staff with coordinating and producing public programs; archival processing of special collections in many different formats; managing digital outreach activities and communications; or supporting reference and research activities. Near the end of their appointment at the Library, the interns will reflect on their projects and experiences by producing a blog post, as well as a presentation for AFC staff. PROJECTS: The project names for 2025 are listed below. For further information on any project, please contact the American Folklife Center: folklife@loc.gov or 202-707-5510. #01 – Digital resources support: Provide creative and technical assistance for curated digital resources published regularly by the Center. Such products include two podcast series, Folklife Today and America Works, blog posts, Research Guides, and digital collections. Responsibilities may include collection research, interpretive writing, digital asset selection, editing, and/or file preparation. Examples available here: https://loc.gov/podcasts/ or https://guides.loc.gov/american-folklife. #02 – 50th Anniversary Planning Support: Assist staff in planning for public programs and initiatives that lead up to the celebration of the Center’s 50th anniversary in 2026, such as a multi-year initiative focused on children’s games and songs. Responsibilities may include reference work and/or collections exploration; public program design; or curatorial support for exhibitions or collection displays. #03 – Collections Processing: Work with AFC staff to support archival processing of multiformat collections, primarily including analog manuscript, photographic, and audio/visual materials. Responsibilities will include rehousing, labeling, metadata creation, and other tasks related to arrangement and description of a variety of archival materials. #04 – Foodways Publication Research: Support AFC staff in collections research and curatorial work for a proposed publication on food and community culture as represented in the Library’s holdings. Responsibilities will entail coordinating exploration of collection materials related to food heritage in the United States; identifying assets and collection materials for inclusion in the publication; developing interpretive and descriptive text; and general editorial assistance.