With a generous gift from the Lennox Foundation, the Lennox Foundation Endowment for Preservation Education, Training and Outreach was established to fund graduate level internships in library and archives preservation administration and conservation, and to support the educational outreach activities of the Iowa State University (ISU) preservation staff. Each year an eight-week internship will be offered by the ISU Library Preservation Department to provide graduate students with practical experience and exposure to preservation in an academic library environment.

This internship is intended to give current graduate students and recent graduates of preservation and conservation programs the opportunity to apply their skills and knowledge of care and treatment of library and archives materials in an academic library. Interns will work in the ISU Library Preservation Department with guidance from the Head of Preservation and the Collections Conservator.

Interns will learn about the overall functioning and organization of the Preservation Department:

• Workflow of materials through the various units and tracking of materials
• Condition assessment and treatment decision-making
• General collections book repair and re-housing
• Inter- and intra-departmental workflow and collaboration
• Operations in reformatting, bindery preparation, and other vended services

In addition to learning about general operations of the department, interns will undertake and complete a project selected based on their interests and skills, and the needs and capabilities of the Department. Projects may include, but are not limited to, aspects of:

• Condition survey and assessment of a particular collection
• Repair of circulating collections
• Re-housing collection materials
• Condition survey of photograph collections with recommendation of appropriate actions
• Conservation treatment (conservator students will have the opportunity to propose treatment options for Special Collections materials, perform agreed upon treatments, and document condition and treatment)
• Issues in digital initiatives and digital preservation
• Development of metadata and digital program best practices and workflows
• Development of preservation education, training and outreach resources
• Disaster planning and response, including state-wide planning and training

Eligibility and Requirements:

• Applicant must currently be a graduate student, in good standing, in a program of library and archives conservation, preservation administration, or digital preservation; or a recent graduate (within the past nine months) of such a program;
• Current graduate students must have completed at least four preservation or conservation courses before the anticipated start date of this internship;
• Applicants must commit to 8 consecutive weeks of full-time employment as interns;
• Internship must be completed between the months of April and October;
• At the end of the internship, the intern will be required to submit a final report or project;
• Applicant must have student or working visas if not a U.S. citizen.

Currently, the internship provides:

• $3,000 stipend
• Travel expenses to and from Ames
• Housing for 8 weeks
• $1,250 for professional development*

* Professional development funds are intended to be used for travel to professional conferences or workshops such as AIC or ALA.

To apply for the Lennox Foundation Preservation Internship please submit the following items:

• Cover letter
• Current resume
• Contact information for two professional references (include address, phone number and e-mail address)
• Statement of interest (include projects of interest)
• Graduate program description including requirements and course descriptions. Please indicate the classes you have completed.

Submit these items to:

Lennox Foundation Internship
Iowa State University
441 Parks Library
Ames, IA 50011-2140

Send electronic applications to: hseo@iastate.edu

Deadline for application is January 15, 2010

Contact us:

Lennox Foundation Internship
Iowa State University
441 Parks Library
Ames, IA 50011-2140

Or call 515 294-3540, or e-mail Hilary T. Seo, hseo@iastate.edu.

Information about Iowa State University

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Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries can be directed to the Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, 3680 Beardshear Hall, 515 294-7612.