Program Overview

The Library of Congress Junior Fellows Program is a paid, 10-week annual summer internship program that enables undergraduate, graduate students, and recent graduates to experience the integrated analog and digital collections and services of the world's largest, all-inclusive library.

Working under the direction of Library curators and specialists in various divisions, Junior Fellows explore digital initiatives and increase access to the institution’s unparalleled collections and resources. Junior Fellows are exposed to a broad spectrum of library work, including: copyright, preservation, reference, access, and information technology.

In the past, Junior Fellows have identified hundreds of historical, literary, artistic, cinematic and musical gems representing the Library’s rich cultural, creative and intellectual assets. No previous experience is necessary, but fellowships are competitive and special skills or knowledge are usually desired. Selections are based on narrative responses to vacancy announcement questions, reference calls, and an interview with a selection official.

The Junior Fellows Program, a signature initiative of the Library of Congress since 1991, is made possible by a gift from the late James Madison Council member Nancy Glanville Jewell through the Glanville Family Foundation and the Knowledge Navigators Trust Fund and by an investment from the Mellon Foundation.

Program Focus

The focus of the program is to increase access to special, legal and copyright collections, and to promote awareness and appreciation of the Library's services to researchers including Congressional members, scholars, students, teachers, and the general public. Junior Fellows encourage the use of collections and services − ensuring that the Library of Congress is known as a living, dynamic center for scholarly work and meaningful connections.

Program participants inventory, catalog, arrange, preserve, and research collections in varied formats, as well as assist in digital library initiatives. Upon completion of their assignments, Junior Fellows work closely with Library curators and specialists to plan and present a display of their most significant discoveries and accomplishments.

Of the People: Widening the Path

The Junior Fellows Program is an internship within Of the People: Widening the Path, a multi-year initiative that creates new opportunities for more Americans to engage with the Library of Congress and to add their perspectives to the Library’s collections, allowing the national library to share a more inclusive American story.

Supported by an institutional grant from the Mellon Foundation, Of the People: Widening the Path promotes outreach, technology innovation, and archives development for, and by, Black, Hispanic or Latino, Indigenous, and communities of color historically underrepresented in the United States and in the Library’s collections.

Under the direction of the 14th Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden, and in response to the national conversation about civil rights, the Library continues to re-imagine how it can address the unequal ways in which libraries, archives, and schools preserve and present the American story.

As part of the Library’s vision to connect all Americans and to empower new generations and diverse audiences to explore its enduring treasury of information, Of the People will enhance and support diverse and inclusive participation in the creation and perpetuation of the nation’s historical and creative record.

Learn more about the JFP experience by viewing interns’ Display Day videos:

• 2023 Library of Congress Junior Fellows Display Day
• 2022 Library of Congress Junior Fellows Display Day
• 2021 Library of Congress Junior Fellows Display Day
• 2020 Library of Congress Junior Fellows Display Day
• 2019 Library of Congress Junior Fellows Webcast
• 2018 Library of Congress Junior Fellows Webcast
• 2017 Library of Congress Junior Fellows Webcast
• 2016 Library of Congress Junior Fellows Webcast

Selection Process

Selection Process: Applications will be forwarded to selecting officials in the Library who will arrange telephone or Zoom interviews with promising applicants, based on materials submitted. Letters of recommendation are not required for this application. After completion of the selection process, those selected will be provided with detailed information on reporting for their internship.

A complete application package consists of: 1) resume; 2): legible copy of latest college/university transcripts 3): responses to vacancy questions. Incomplete and/or late application packages will not be considered. Applications for the 2024 Junior Fellows Program are closed. Applications for the 2025 Junior Fellows Program will open in the 2024 fall season.

Prepare to apply for JFP25 by reading this How to Apply guide from JFP24. An updated guide will be available in the fall of 2025.

Selections for all 2024 Fellows are projected to be complete by late March 2024. Notices of selection or non-selection will be sent out in the first week of April 2024. If you have any questions regarding the USAJOBS vacancy announcement or the status of your application, please contact jobhelp@loc.gov.

Onsite Projects for JFP 2024:

Onsite projects for JFP25 will be updated in the fall of 2024. Projects vary from year to year.

Interns will complete the following 19 onsite projects during JFP 2024. All work for these projects will be completed entirely onsite within the Library’s Capitol Hill campus. Each intern will be assigned to work on one project as their primary responsibility, alongside other assignments that will introduce them to the range of LOC activity. Applicants will be asked to select their top three project choices in the application.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Once selected and hired for the internship, every effort will be made to accommodate project selections. Due to the popularity of some areas of interest, preferred project placement cannot be guaranteed. All project areas may not be available at the time applicants are selected and others may be added. Applicants should be sure to indicate three project areas of interest within their applications.

1. African American Invention, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (Onsite)
2. Banking History Uncovered: Crafting a Guide for the American Bankers Association Papers (Onsite)
3. Christopher Columbus Papers Project (Onsite)
4. Digitization of Copyright Licensing Records (Onsite)
5. Economic Research on Resale Rights & Copyright (Onsite)
6. Elizabeth Brown Pryor Internship, Manuscript Reading Room (Onsite)
7. General and International Collections Outreach and Communications (Onsite)
8. Identification of Southeast Asian Rare Book Collection Works (Onsite)
9. Identifying At-Risk Underrepresented Community Collections Learning from Our Collection: Assessing and Preserving At-Risk Materials (Onsite)
10. Inventory of South Asian Language Microfiche Collection (Onsite)
11. Martha Graham Legacy Project (Onsite)
12. Mary Wolfskill Internship, Manuscript Reading Room (Onsite)
13. Mind the Gap: Taking Stock of Contemporary Composer Voices (Onsite)
14. National Book Festival: Coordination and Outreach (Onsite)
15. National Book Festival: Literary Programming (Onsite)
16. Retrospective Cataloging of World Digital Library’s Chinese Language Holdings (Onsite)
17. Supreme Court Records and Briefs Metadata Enhancement Project (Onsite)
18. Title Collection Maps Project (Onsite)
19. Unfurling LOC’s Reel Deal: A Journey through Microfilm History (Onsite)

Remote Projects for JFP 2024

Remote projects for JFP25 will be updated in the fall of 2024. Projects vary from year to year.

Interns will complete the following 12 remote projects during JFP 2024. All work for these projects will be completed remotely. Each intern will be assigned to work on one project as their primary responsibility, alongside other assignments that will introduce them to the range of LOC activity. Applicants will be asked to list their top three project choices in the application.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Once selected and hired for the internship, every effort will be made to accommodate project selections. Due to the popularity of some areas of interest, preferred project placement cannot be guaranteed. All project areas may not be available at the time applicants are selected and others may be added. Applicants should be sure to indicate three project areas of interest within their applications.

1. Amplifying Artistic Projects That Use the Library’s Digital Collections (Remote)
2. Copyright Card Catalog Metadata Capture Project (Remote)
3. Mapping the Stories: The Legacy of Daniel A.P. Murray (Remote)
4. National Book Festival: Coordination and Outreach (Remote)
5. National Book Festival: Literary Programming (Remote)
6. Researching the Black Press in Chronicling America (Remote)
7. Revising Classification and Subject Access for Slavic Materials (Remote)
8. Scripts, Interfaces, and Notebooks, Oh My: Exploring Library Data in Public (Remote)
9. Supporting Culturally Relevant Pedagogy with Library of Congress Digital Collections (Remote)
10. Teen Internship Program Assistant and Content Developer (Remote)
11. User Experience Research to Support the Library’s Digital Tools (Remote)
12. Year of Digital Accessibility Fellow (Remote)

Onsite Project Descriptions

The Junior Fellows Program for 2024 is offering 19 Onsite Projects:

1. African American Invention, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (Onsite) - Manuscript Division

   Project Description: The Junior Fellow will enhance the discoverability of manuscripts relating to African American invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship by performing research in the Manuscript Division and creating a LibGuide. The Manuscript Division holds the papers of a number of prominent African American scientists and supporters of Black entrepreneurship, including mathematicians Gladys West and Gloria Gilmer, chemist Henry Aaron Hill, and educators Booker T. Washington and Carter Woodson. The Junior Fellow will learn how an archive enhances discoverability by reading its own holdings against the grain, working with scientific, political, military, and other collections to document previously undescribed manuscript resources relating to Black invention and innovation. The Junior Fellow will then compile their findings into a LibGuide, which may describe anything from enslaved people’s inability to access the U.S. patent system to forgotten stories of Black entrepreneurs. The Junior Fellow will document their research journey in a short post for the Unfolding History blog.

   Knowledge and skills required: Intermediate level proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel. Demonstrated familiarity with African American history and the history of science and technology.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Familiarity with Springshare LibGuide platform (helpful but not required). Experience working with archival collections, experience in performing historical research.

2. Banking History Uncovered: Crafting a Guide for the American Bankers Association Papers (Onsite) - Business Section

   Project Description: In this project, the Junior Fellow will enhance the discoverability and accessibility of the Science, Technology & Business’ papers from the American Bankers Association. This project will support the goal to connect all Americans to avenues for informed civic engagement as the Junior Fellow will review, select, and share content from this pamphlet collection to promote the discovery and use of these items related to U.S. banking and economic history that reveal connections to civics, legislation and government policy, including materials with contrasting opinions on creating a central bank and pegging currency. Working with collections-oriented materials, the Junior Fellow will inventory the papers, prepare them for cataloging, and assist in their preservation. The successful candidate will create a subject based library guide finding aid. The Junior Fellow will write an entry for the Library’s “Inside Adams” blog focusing on the significance of the collection’s theme(s) on underrerpesented groups.

   Knowledge and skills required: Sound analytical and writing skills. Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and meet deadlines.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: LibGuide experience. Blog writing experience.

3. Christopher Columbus Papers Project (Onsite) - Manuscript Division

   Project Description: The 1502 “Washington Codex,” or “Book of Privileges” in the Manuscript Division is a volume of letters and documents in Spanish and Latin assembled by Christopher Columbus. Complementing it is a collection of 19th and 20th-century copies of the Codex and related documents in a variety of formats, including glass negatives. The Junior Fellow will work with Manuscript Division staff to identify, assess, and list these so that researchers can better access them. The final product will be a list to be added to the collection’s finding aid. Other products might include a collection guide, story map, or blog post. Since the Library acquired this collection in the early/mid twentieth century, many Americans have reassessed their understanding of the role of Columbus in the history of the Americas. The Junior Fellow will assess how this collection can help us to understand these shifting views of the legacy of Christopher Columbus.

   Knowledge and skills required: Reading knowledge of Spanish. Knowledge of Microsoft Word. Understanding of the history of the United States.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Basic familiarity with academic research. Knowledge of Latin would be helpful but is not required.

4. Digitization of Copyright Licensing Records (Onsite) - Copyright Office, Licensing Division Section

   Project Description: In this project, the Junior Fellow will assist to expand and make the Licensing Section's records more accessible and understandable to as many members of the public as possible under the Copyright for All initiative, including individuals and small entities as well as historically underserved communities. Historically these communities include Americans who have low-incomes, live in rural communities, and lack access to computers and the internet. There are technology and internet access gaps between underserved populations and all other populations. This project will give small cable operators and members of these communities the opportunity to digitally access copyright records at local public libraries and schools. Users will not have to make the journey to the Library of Congress to view our records. The Licensing Section is responsible for helping to administer various statutory licenses for radio and television programs by cable and satellite systems and documenting such information for public record. The Junior Fellow will assist with transforming these public records into digital format and preserving such records for archival purposes. Additionally, the Junior Fellow will learn how the Licensing Section manages, reviews, and updates these records to ensure the records are digitally available to a broad audience. At the end of the project, the Junior Fellow will write an entry for the Licensing Connection Newsletter summarizing their work experience.

   Knowledge and skills required: Intermediate level proficiency with Microsoft 365, including Microsoft Excel. Familiarity with transforming records into digital format and preservation of data for archival purposes.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Problem-solving, organization, critical thinking, and time management skills. Ability to think analytically and to develop new or revised systems, procedures, and workflow. Experience working in a library setting. Experience in cataloging any type of library materials. Experience with records management.

5. Economic Research on Resale Rights & Copyright (Onsite) - Copyright Office, Office of Policy and International Affairs

   Project Description: The economic research Junior Fellow will conduct a review of the academic and policy literature on the economics of resale rights to inform the Copyright Office of research on this matter. The Junior Fellow will prepare a report summarizing the state of the literature, policies or proposals and their economic effects, sources of empirical evidence and data, as well as areas in need of further research. They will work closely with economists and statisticians to further the economic research agenda of the Chief Economist of the Copyright Office on this and other topics, such as possible disparities in use of the copyright system by historically underrepresented demographic groups, by contributing towards providing impartial expertise for Office leadership. As appropriate, the Junor Fellow will also communicate insights from this study and other Office research in shorter form for the public, such as blog posts, data visualizations, and other insights.

   Knowledge and skills required: Experience reading, understanding, and synthesizing sophisticated academic research articles in the field of economics.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Preferably, the candidate will hold a BA in economics or related field, or be close to completion.

6. Elizabeth Brown Pryor Internship, Manuscript Reading Room (Onsite)- Manuscript Division

   Project Description: Overseeing a collection of approximately 70 million primary source materials relating to American history and culture, the Manuscript Reading Room is a service-oriented focal point for members of Congress and their staff, the academic community, journalists, genealogists, and the general public conducting research in American history and culture. The division’s Elizabeth Brown Pryor Internship, supported through a generous bequest of a long-time Library researcher, introduces the selected Junior Fellow to the principles, concepts, and techniques of archival management and reference. The Junior Fellow will assist researchers in accessing the division's collections by responding to reference inquiries received in person and by electronic means, analyzing reference requests, investigating sources of information, and providing timely responses. The Junior Fellow may also work on special projects that improve researcher access to the materials that highlight the diverse cultures and narratives represented in the Manuscript Division holdings.

   Knowledge and skills required: Ability to prioritize work and meet deadlines; ability to communicate effectively in writing; ability to think critically and propose resolutions to problems; and, ability to work effectively and collaboratively in a team setting. Demonstrated knowledge of American history and culture.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Experience working in a research library environment. Preferred knowledge of integrated library systems, basic library applications, and other information technologies.

7. General and International Collections Outreach and Communications (Onsite)- General and International Collections Directorate

   Project Description: In this project, the Junior Fellow will support the development of a communications plan that will be implemented as part of the General and International Collections Directorate’s (GICD) strategic vision. By analyzing data and conducting research, the Junior Fellow will develop marketing strategies to incorporate into GICD’s communications plan. The Library aspires to reach all Americans, and has made it a priority to acquire material of underrepresented perspectives and voices to ensure diverse authorship, points of view, cultural identities, and other historical or cultural factors. In developing this communications plan, a priority is introducing the collections and services to similarly diverse audiences, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander and/or other communities of color historically underrepresented in the U.S. that may not believe they are represented in the Library’s collection. To that end, the Junior Fellow will interview subject matter experts throughout GICD’s divisions to generate content that will help tell the stories of researchers across multiple audiences and perspectives, informing the final plan, and culminating in a blog post at the end of the project.

   Knowledge and skills required: Intermediate level proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; especially Word and Excel. Experience writing content for online or print publications and/or social media. Demonstratable familiarity with project management processes.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Experience developing marketing and communications plans for diverse audiences. Knowledge of evaluation theory and data analysis.

8. Identification of Southeast Asian Rare Book Collection Works (Onsite) - Asian Division

   Project Description: In this project, the Junior Fellow will enhance discoverability and accessibility of the Asian Division Southeast Asian Rare Book Collection by researching basic bibliographic information. The collection has 1,500 items in different formats: palm-leaf and leporello manuscripts, hand-written texts, and early printed books. The Junior Fellow will identify these works’ title, author, date, and other details. Fluency in a Southeast Asian language (Balinese, Burmese, Khmer, Lao, Pali, Shan, Thai) and script is required. The Junior Fellow will work with staff mentors on this priority project. Improving access to the collection advances research while connecting underrepresented Southeast Asian American communities with their cultural heritage. The project seeks to provide deeper understanding and discovery of the collection so that it may be leveraged in the future to tell a more diverse and inclusive American story. Concluding the project, the Junior Fellow will write a blog about their work experience or the collection.

   Knowledge and skills required: Demonstrable familiarity with Southeast Asian Studies or the academic study of one or more Southeast Asian countries (e.g., Burma/Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vietnam) in any field or discipline. Intermediate level proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word and Excel. Reading knowledge of one or more Southeast Asian languages.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Experience working in a public, research, or university library in any capacity. Experience in cataloging any type of library materials.

9. Identifying At-Risk Underrepresented Community Collections Learning from Our Collection: Assessing and Preserving At-Risk Materials (Onsite) - Preservation Research and Testing Division

   Project Description: In this project the Junior Fellow will identify underrepresented collections important for diverse and inclusive collecting, to not only assess what is in LC collections, but to determine level of risk or loss. Results will indicate what is needed to preserve and provide access to materials for relevant communities, based on the most up to date scientific work. Recent Mellon funded research in PRTD (Assessing the Condition of the National Collection) focused on the first century of mass book manufacturing (1840-1940). This period was a pivotal century for challenges to diverse collections and important for documenting social movements: suffrage, abolitionism, economic challenges, and periods of war. With PRTD staff, the Junior Fellow will undertake non-invasive tests to quickly determine composition and longevity of these collection materials. The Junior Fellow would build librarianship and preservation skills through extracting critical publisher, printer, and location catalog data and connect these areas to the physical condition and usability of the tested volumes, for discoverability and access, and usability, recommending digitization for highly at-risk materials.

   Knowledge and skills required: Good verbal communication, intermediate Microsoft office Suite proficiency. Some familiarity with library processes.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Microsoft Office, familiar with using various instrumentation. Some background experience with science/social science.

10. Inventory of South Asian Language Microfiche Collection (Onsite) - Asian Division

    Project Description: The Junior Fellow will enhance the discoverability and accessibility of the Asian Division’s South Asian Microfiche Collection in South Asian languages – such as Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, and Tamil – spoken by millions of South Asian Americans and often underrepresented in library collections. For this collections-oriented project, the Junior Fellow will inventory and update holdings of approximately 1,971 serial titles on microfiche in the Library’s Integrated Library System (ILS). Ensuring that bibliographic records have accurate holdings will better inform users about available resources. With the push towards making collections accessible online, the accuracy of descriptions and holdings is critical. The Junior Fellow will learn how a large research library manages its collections and about the workflows that precede and enable online and physical access. The Junior Fellow will write a post for the Library’s “Four Corners of the World” blog, summarizing their experience and using the collection to investigate a topic of interest.

    Knowledge and skills required: Intermediate level proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word and Excel. Demonstrable familiarity with South Asian Studies or the academic study of one or more South Asian countries (e.g., Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) in any field or discipline. Basic reading knowledge of one or more South Asian languages.

    Knowledge and skills preferred: Experience working in a public, research, or university library in any capacity. Experience in cataloging any type of library materials.

11. Martha Graham Legacy Project (Onsite) - Music Division

    Project Description: The Martha Graham Legacy Project 2024 will generate new resources to highlight the Library of Congress materials on iconic modern dance choreographer Martha Graham. Widely acknowledged for her contributions to aesthetics, and choreography that celebrates the American landscape, Graham's was the most diverse modern dance company of its time. Deserving of greater attention is Graham’s commitment to cross-cultural artistic collaboration with Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi for set design or Columbian-born artist Umaña for costumes, along with the company's promotion of artists of color such as African American Mary Hinkson and Japanese American Yuriko. Her company’s tours abroad under the U.S. Information Agency’s soft-power diplomacy also made her an international agent for equity and democracy. Working alongside the Dance Curator, the Junior Fellow will survey the Music Division’s collections on Graham and her artistic collaborators, as well as related photographs, books, videos, and other materials throughout the Library. The Junior Fellow will research specific topics related to Graham’s artistry and life and participate in several outreach activities to illuminate the cultural significance of the Graham resources. Ultimately, the Junior Fellow will generate a set of assets toward a forthcoming Story Map digital resource, a Research Guide on Martha Graham (or LIBGuide), and an optional blog post about the collections—much of this primary source material as-yet unseen by researchers and the public—thereby invigorating study of Graham and dance, as well as spurring cross-disciplinary interest from fields such as history, cultural studies, and education.

    Knowledge and skills required: Strong organizational skills (ability to set and meet deadlines, follow work plans, and adapt plans with team input as needed). Ability to devise information searches using internet, databases, and/or library catalogs to find and verify information. Ability to make connections between information from multiple sources (playbills, videos, reviews, photographs, diaries). Basic computer/digital skills (e.g., data input, spreadsheet or template design, use of search fields) and willingness to learn how to use Library of Congress templates and social media. Flexibility in working independently and undistracted as well as collaborating within a team. Good communication skills; willingness to be a good listener. Demonstrable experience in performing arts (dance/theatre, music, design). Curiosity about how arts heritage connects to other aspects of American historical and cultural studies.

    Knowledge and skills preferred: Excellent writing skills. Experience working in a library or museum. Experience using library research guides or tools. Knowledge of or interest in theatre or dance history and/or U.S. history of the 20th century. Basic reading level for any European or Mideast languages.

12. Mary Wolfskill Internship, Manuscript Reading Room (Onsite) - Manuscript Division

    Project Description: Overseeing a collection of approximately 70 million primary source materials relating to American history and culture, the Manuscript Reading Room is a service-oriented focal point for members of Congress and their staff, the academic community, journalists, genealogists, and the general public conducting research in American history and culture. The division’s Mary Wolfskill Trust Fund Internship, established in honor of a former longtime head of Reference & Reader Services, introduces the selected Junior Fellow to the principles, concepts, and techniques of archival management and reference. The Junior Fellow will assist researchers in accessing the division's collections by responding to reference inquiries received in person and by electronic means, analyzing reference requests, investigating sources of information, and providing timely responses. The Junior Fellow may also work on special projects that improve researcher access to the materials that highlight the diverse cultures and narratives represented in the Manuscript Division holdings.

    Knowledge and skills required: Ability to prioritize work and meet deadlines; ability to communicate effectively in writing; ability to think critically and propose resolutions to problems; and, ability to work effectively and collaboratively in a team setting. Demonstrated knowledge of American history and culture.

    Knowledge and skills preferred: Experience working in a research library environment. Preferred knowledge of integrated library systems, basic library applications, and other information technologies.

13. Mind the Gap: Taking Stock of Contemporary Composer Voices (Onsite) - Music Division

    Project Description: The Library of Congress Music Division is the nation’s music library of record. Centuries of evolving copyright law and acquisition methods have yielded inevitable gaps in the Music Division’s holdings of scores by major composers of the common practice era. Under the mentorship of two contemporary music specialists, the Junior Fellow will conduct a gap analysis of the Music Division’s print musical scores by major 20th- and 21st-century composers of Western concert music. This gap analysis will ensure that American composers especially from Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, and Asian communities who have been historically underrepresented in the Library’s collections are documented, especially self-published composers. The Junior Fellow will use the Music Division card catalog and shelf list, LC Online Catalog, and physical stack searches to inventory major works and composers with minimal to no representation in the division’s holdings. Staff will use this information to guide future collection development decisions and determine potential sources of acquisition. The Junior Fellow can take pride in work that will directly impact preservation of and access to musical creativity.

    Knowledge and skills required: Strong organizational and problem-solving skills. Ability to set and meet deadlines, follow work plans, and adapt after input. Basic proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel. Ability to devise searches for internet search engines, databases, and library catalogs to find and verify information. Intellectual curiosity about musical culture. Desire to learn about concert music composed in the 20th and 21st centuries.

    Knowledge and skills preferred: Experience using online library catalogs. Basic reading level of at least one language other than English. Ability to read music notation. Familiarity with 20th- and 21st-century Western concert music, major music awards, and music publishing companies.

14. National Book Festival: Coordination and Outreach (Onsite) - Signature Programs Office

    Project Description: The Library of Congress National Book Festival (NBF) is a premier national book event, drawing highly acclaimed authors as participants and thousands of attendees. The event is highly complex and requires coordination of many tasks and details. This project will expose the Junior Fellow to the inner workings of planning a major festival for a government agency. The purpose of the project is to support the planning of the NBF in order to enhance the attendee experience. The Junior Fellow will complete at least one deliverable, assignment of which will be determined after internship start. Deliverables include recommendations to build and enhance attendee participation for a diverse audience including Black, Indigenous, Latino and Hispanic, AAPI, and other communities of color such as Website enhancements, content programming, collateral, etc. The Junior Fellow will also have the opportunity to attend NBF planning meetings and the NBF event.

    Knowledge and skills required: Microsoft Office Suite. Project Management.

    Knowledge and skills preferred: Acting as a Liaison. Event planning and coordination.

15. National Book Festival: Literary Programming (Onsite) - Literary Initiatives

    Project Description: The Literary Initiatives Office develops signature literary programs at the Library of Congress, including the National Book Festival, and administers literary ambassador positions such as the U.S. Poet Laureate, the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, and the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. In this onsite internship, the Junior Fellow will work directly on the Festival planning team to increase visibility, accessibility, and opportunities for new voices to be amplified and shared with D.C.’s community of readers in all stages of life. The Junior Fellows Program aligns with the most crucial period for developing program content for the National Book Festival. From writing and editing session descriptions and author biographies, to organizing content for the Festival’s digital presence, to researching and assigning interest tags to sessions, the Junior Fellow will receive valuable training in arts administration while working on one of the country’s premier literary festivals and expanding engagement and access to Library programming for diverse audiences. Additional responsibilities include assisting with other public programming and projects by the Library’s literary ambassadors. The main subject areas of this services-oriented project are arts administration, literature, and digital media. In collaboration with the Project Mentor, the Junior Fellow will identify and describe materials representative of this project for an exhibit presentation by all Junior Fellows near the conclusion of the program.

    Knowledge and skills required: Strong organizational skills, with ability to set and meet deadlines; ability to communicate effectively in writing; advanced proficiency in use of computer software; excellent research skills; creative and organizational flexibility. Use of Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or otherspreadsheet software; basic knowledge of and comfort with entering data into content management systems.

    Knowledge and skills preferred: Experience with data organization, visualization and analysis; experience with event organization. Contemporary literature; literary trends, especially in diversity and representation.

16. Retrospective Cataloging of World Digital Library’s Chinese Language Holdings (Onsite) - China Section

    Project Description: The World Digital Library (WDL), launched in 2009 by the Library of Congress (LC) and UNESCO, showcases literary treasures held in institutions around the world, preserving and providing access to pieces of cultural and historical significance to the United States and international community. The WDL Chinese collection includes rare editions of the classics, histories, philosophical treatises, poetry compilations, materia medica, and more. LC holds approximately 200 physical items in the WDL digital collection, and has parallel titles for many of the other pieces. This project is collections-oriented, and the Junior Fellow will improve access through corrective cataloging of WDL Chinese records, focusing on items related to LC physical holdings. The Junior Fellow will universalize capitalization, update Romanizations, and establish access points. The Junior Fellow will produce an exhibition and blog post on LC Chinese language materials related to the WDL collection, highlighting how these digital and physical collections enhance user experience.

    Knowledge and skills required: Chinese language proficiency. MLIS degree or coursework completed toward an MLIS degree and experience presenting a poster or paper at a conference.

    Knowledge and skills preferred: Knowledge of modern and literary Chinese languages and texts, strong background in Chinese history, culture, and thought.

17. Supreme Court Records and Briefs Metadata Enhancement Project (Onsite) - Law Library

    Project Description: The Law Library of Congress is currently digitizing its collection of approximately 27,000 volumes of Supreme Court Records and Briefs. The Law Library is one of only nine depository libraries that receive these documents, which are not freely available online. The Law Library aims to fill these gaps in legal research with collections that are free to use and reuse for the public. Junior Fellows will identify, record, and validate descriptive metadata on a small scale to create and test applicable methods that will be used as the collection grows. Additionally, they will help identify Supreme Court Cases which have contributed to our current societal conditions affecting a variety of historically underrepresented communities. Once identified, the documents associated with these cases on issues of historical and legal importance can be enhanced with additional, inclusive metadata that will further increase their discoverability and accessibility to people within those communities and to the American public as a whole. This workflow will also be used in the future metadata creation, the training of future library interns, and the validation and standards of their work. During the course of this project, Junior Fellows will participate in the early stages of the digitization of a large library collection, learning how the post-digitization journey makes these documents accessible to the public and exploring the role of descriptive metadata in the discoverability of online collections.

    Knowledge and skills required: Microsoft Office, especially Excel, Word and Powerpoint. Familiarity with controlled vocabularies, authority control and metadata standards.

    Knowledge and skills preferred: Ability to document workflows and processes. Familiarity with legal publications and the judicial process.

18. Title Collection Maps Project (Onsite) - Geography and Maps Division

    Project Description:The Title Collections in the Geography and Map Division are uncatalogued maps ranging from the 18th-21st centuries (pre-1971), consisting of important, but as-yet undocumented segments of the Library of Congress’ global collection of cartographic materials. The Junior Fellow will be responsible for conducting an inventory of one of the following uncatalogued Title Collections of their choice: Swaziland, Botswana, Republic of the Congo; Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Suriname, Rwanda, Togo, Bahamas, Trinidad, Guyana, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), French Equatorial Africa, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Caribbean (as a whole), Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Niger, Mozambique, Namibia, Cameroon, Somalia, Kenya, Jamaica, Zambia, Angola. Our project seeks qualified Fellows with an academic background in subject areas outside the Anglophone and Western tradition.

    Knowledge and skills required: Strong attention to detail and organization. Critical and adaptive thinking. Ability to use Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Access). Ability to follow established standards and workflows. Ability to collaborate with diverse colleagues in a team environment. Basic knowledge of the geographic area aligning with the collection of their choice. Knowledge of basic archival processing and/or bibliographic description.

    Knowledge and skills preferred: Experience working with bibliographic data in an Integrated Library System or online database. Ability to communicate in writing to both technical and non-technical audiences. Background knowledge of cataloging principles. Interest in or knowledge of your selected country’s history. Reading proficiency of predominant language of their chosen collection’s geographic area.

19. Unfurling LOC’s Reel Deal: A Journey through Microfilm History (Onsite) - Preservation Services Division

    Project Description: The Library began microfilming in 1938, bringing millions of pages of international content to our audiences. LOC recently transitioned the stateside filming program to a fully digital reformatting workflow. The Junior Fellow on this project will investigate and curate a story map and a history of this transition, highlighting some of the diverse materials brought to our audience this way, such as “On women's rights and development of women in India; souvenir released on the occasion of the celebration of the 50th year of India's independence by the All India Women's Conference during its annual session held in 1997” by the Library in New Delhi and available now on Capitol Hill. The Junior Fellow will interview staff employed by the library in DC, in Jakarta and in New Delhi to film materials. They will also liaise with the Digital Services Directorate to tell the story of implementing digital management practices for this material. This project relates to library operations, specifically how foreign collections and collections documenting diverse and underserved voices from decades past have expanded to today’s digital availability. The Junior Fellow will be expected to learn to use story maps, and to interact with long time library staff to find resources and conduct interviews about the history of filming and the transitions to digital reformatting at LOC. They will explore and document the materials and infrastructure housed onsite, such as duplicating and digitization equipment. At the end of the project, they will document their findings in a written report and tell the story of their experience at the library in a blog post on the Preservation Directorate’s blog.

    Knowledge and skills required: Ability to interact professionally with diverse library staff. Ability to learn software required for the project (Audacity, ILS, StoryMap, Microsoft Office).

    Knowledge and skills preferred: Experience working with library technical services or reference.

Remote Project Descriptions

The Junior Fellows Program for 2024 is offering 12 Remote Projects:

1. Amplifying Artistic Projects That Use the Library’s Digital Collections (Remote) - Digital Strategy Directorate

   Project Description: The Connecting Communities Digital Initiative (CCDI) provides financial and technical support to individuals, institutions and organizations to create imaginative projects using the Library’s digital collections and centering one or more of the following groups: Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and other communities of color. The Junior Fellow and CCDI staff will identify areas of work that will positively impact the projects of one or more of CCDI’s Artists or Scholars in Residence. Examples include: in-depth research into relevant Library digital collections, designing and developing prototypes, planning and performing user research, and developing strategies for reaching broad or specific audiences. The Junior Fellow will then iteratively develop this work during their internship, soliciting feedback from stakeholders throughout the process. The final product should be immediately usable by one or more of CCDI’s artists or scholars. Examples include: an annotated dataset, a working prototype, a visualization, or a report.

   Knowledge and skills required: Ability to work effectively and efficiently with others. Experience working with and coursework related to the histories of one or more of the following groups: Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and other communities of color. Strong writing skills and ability to write for a general audience. Knowledge of cultural heritage materials in general, and of some uses of digital library materials in new forms. Experience communicating to diverse audiences through various forms of media.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Experience with marketing and outreach. Experience with collections data processing. Previous work experience with digital materials in a library, museum or archival setting. Knowledge of digital platforms and tools.

2. Copyright Card Catalog Metadata Capture Project (Remote) - Copyright Office, Office of Copyright Records

   Project Description: The U.S. Copyright Office (USCO) Card Catalog Records offer a historically important snapshot of the culture of the United States, primarily relating to copyrightable expression, authorship, and copyright ownership from 1870-1977. The records refer to books, photographs, musical compositions, sound recordings, motion pictures, lectures, software, and more. The USCO Card Catalog contains records of registrations, assignments, transfers of copyright, notices of use of musical compositions, and terminations of copyright ownership. These records are available in hardcopy format and online, but access to the physical records is limited and online searching is cumbersome. To improve online access, we are capturing metadata from the records. The Junior Fellow will be a member of the USCO Historical Public Records Team and will review and update metadata captured for the card catalog records. The Junior Fellow will have the opportunity to learn about USCO’s historical records and gain experience working with metadata. By improving access to these records through descriptive metadata, it will provide improved access to records related to copyrightable expression, authorship, and copyright ownership for all creators, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander and/or other communities of color historically underrepresented in the United States and in the Library’s collections. It will also provide a dataset for internal staff and external researchers to conduct research on creators from these communities.

   Knowledge and skills required: Knowledge of cataloging, metadata, and digital archiving.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Experience with Microsoft Access.

3. Mapping the Stories: The Legacy of Daniel A.P. Murray (Remote) - Office of Communications

   Project Description: The Junior Fellow will research the history of Daniel A.P. Murray and his historical relevance to the Library’s efforts in telling the stories of African-American contributions. Building upon this research, the Junior Fellow will research the vast exhibitions and online collections beginning in 1950 to present day with a focus on identifying and highlighting items from underrepresented and communities of color. A story map and display day project will outline and identify these stories that will be integrated into the ongoing efforts of the “Of the People” initiative. This project supports the Office of Communications' efforts to identify and catalog the various cultural and ethnic-based exhibits and collections presented over the past 60 years. This will additionally support the efforts of the ongoing Of the People: Widening the Path initiative by documenting continuous efforts to support storytelling by and of communities of color.

   Knowledge and skills required: Research, including spreadsheet development. Attention to detail. Writing and editing, including knowledge of Associated Press Style.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Conducting interviews.

4. National Book Festival: Outreach and Coordination (Remote) - Signature Programs Office

   Project Description: The Library of Congress National Book Festival (NBF) is a premier national book event, drawing highly acclaimed authors as participants and thousands of attendees. The event is highly complex and requires coordination of many tasks and details. This project will expose the Junior Fellow to the inner workings of planning a major festival for a government agency. The purpose of the project is to support the planning of the NBF in order to enhance the attendee experience. The Junior Fellow will complete at least one deliverable, assignment of which will be determined after internship start. Deliverables include recommendations to build and enhance attendee participation for a diverse audience including Black, Indigenous, Latino and Hispanic, AAPI, and other communities of color such as Website enhancements, content programming, collateral, etc. The Fellow will also have the opportunity to attend NBF planning meetings and the NBF event.

   Knowledge and skills required: Microsoft Office Suite. Project Management.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Acting as a Liaison. Event planning and coordination.

5. National Book Festival: Literary Programming (Remote) - Literary Initiatives

   Project Description: The Literary Initiatives Office develops signature literary programs at the Library of Congress, including the National Book Festival, andadministers literary ambassador positions such as the U.S. Poet Laureate, the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, and the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. In this remote internship, the Junior Fellow will work directly on the Festival planning team to increase visibility, accessibility, and opportunities for new voices to be amplified and shared with D.C.’s community of readers in all stages of life. The Junior Fellows Program aligns with the most crucial period for developing program content for the National Book Festival. From writing and editing session descriptions and author biographies, to organizing content for the Festival’s digital presence, to researching and assigning interest tags to sessions, the Junior Fellow will receive valuable training in arts administration while working on one of the country’s premier literary festivals and expanding engagement and access to Library programming for diverse audiences. Additional responsibilities include assisting with other public programming and projects by the Library’s literary ambassadors. The main subject areas of this services-oriented project are arts administration, literature, and digital media.In collaboration with the Project Mentor, the Junior Fellow will identify and describe materials representative of this project for an exhibit presentation by all Junior Fellows near the conclusion of the program.

   Knowledge and skills required: Strong organizational skills, with ability to set and meet deadlines; ability to communicate effectively in writing; advanced proficiency in use of computer software; excellent research skills; creative and organizational flexibility. Use of Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or otherspreadsheet software; basic knowledge of and comfort with entering data into content management systems.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Experience with data organization, visualization and analysis; experience with event organization. Contemporary literature; literary trends, especially in diversity and representation.

6. Researching the Black Press in Chronicling America (Remote) - Serial and Government Publications Division

   Project Description: In this project, the Junior Fellow will learn how to research the Black Press in America in the 19th and early 20th centuries using primary and secondary sources and write newspaper history essays to provide context to users of Chronicling America under the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP). This project seeks to expand collection access and context for many of the individual newspaper titles digitized in a 2021-2023 project. The incumbent will create up to ten well-researched newspaper history essays up to 500 words long, representing significant titles or groups of titles from this collection, providing additional context to the content in the newspapers, the community they served, and the publishers and editors who created the newspapers. Americans will benefit from this project by gaining a deeper of the Black Press and its impact.

   Knowledge and skills required: Ability to perform research in historic primary resources. Ability to research and write concise, well-written essays for public consumption. Knowledge of 19th and early 20th century African American History, including people, events, and places. Familiarity in using digital collections repositories or databases, or digitized materials.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Ability to perform research in historic newspapers. Familiarity with the American Black Press in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

7. Revising Classification and Subject Access for Slavic Materials (Remote) - Cooperative Training and Policy Section

   Project Description: This is a project with international impact. Many nations in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Caucasus are classified simply as “former Soviet Republics.” This is an outdated label that hides vibrant and diverse collections from discovery; the Junior Fellow will play a key role in correcting this. Working with Cataloging Policy Specialists and subject matter experts in the Germanic and Slavic Division, the Junior Fellow will conduct country-specific historical research and document their findings in an annotated bibliography. Using their research, the Junior Fellow will critically analyze and recommend revisions to two internationally used Library of Congress standards: Classification and Subject Headings. The Junior Fellow will learn how classification and subject vocabularies shape and provide access to knowledge, and they will work to enhance the representation of diverse communities currently hidden behind the phrase “former Soviet Republics.” The project will increase the level of accuracy, respect, and inclusion in our standards, leading to better informed patrons in the United States and around the world. At the conclusion of their work, the Junior Fellow will create a presentation appropriate for internal or external audiences.

   Knowledge and skills required: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel. Demonstrable familiarity with Slavic Studies or the academic study of one or more Eastern Slavic or Baltic countries in any field or discipline; reading knowledge of one or more Slavic language, or reading knowledge of a relevant non-Slavic language.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Experience in cataloging any type of library materials. Demonstrable academic study of Moldova or Belarus; reading knowledge of Romanian or Belarusian.

8. Scripts, Interfaces, and Notebooks, Oh My: Exploring Library Data in Public (Remote) - Digital Innovation Division

   Project Description: This project seeks a Junior Fellow with some digital humanities, data science, or computational experience and a passion for telling new stories from this nations’ complex and diverse history to work in the Digital Innovation Division, aka LC Labs. In this project, a Junior Fellow will identify a dataset or collection that matches their interest, and use GitHub and/or GitHub pages to create new data visualizations, interfaces or tutorials to help people re-visualize and re-contextualize these digital materials and data to match their own interests, curiosities, or the needs of their community. Special emphasis will be placed on applicants whose ideas for new digital interfaces center the perspectives of communities identifying as Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American, Pacific Islander and/or other communities of color historically underrepresented in the United States. This project is part of our effort to help people re-mix, re-use, and re-imagine Library materials for their own interests and within their own communities. They will also work to publish open-source scripts that make it easier to compile derivative data from the loc.gov application programming interface (API).

   Knowledge and skills required: Some experience with web technologies, git, python, R, or APIs. Some experience working with historic or library materials. Basic knowledge of one or more subject areas held within the Library’s digital collections.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Some design and UX skills or experience preferred. Knowledge of design principles.

9. Supporting Culturally Relevant Pedagogy with Library of Congress Digital Collections (Remote)- Professional Learning and Outreach Initiatives Office

   Project Description: This project seeks a Junior Fellow who can continue and expand PLOI’s effort to create culturally relevant teaching materials featuring members of an under-represented community based on ethnicity, ability, geographic location, gender identity, etc. with which they personally identify. After finding relevant materials from loc.gov, the Junior Fellow will engage the more than 14,000 members of the TPS Teachers Network comprising educators and representatives of TPS Consortium partner organizations in online discussions based on packaged primary source sets and accompanying teaching ideas, posted by the Junior Fellow.

   Knowledge and skills required: Ability to conduct searches on loc.gov; Ability to communicate with educators via a social media platform (TPS Teachers Network). Knowledge of K-12 teaching and curricula; knowledge of the need for teaching materials focused on a specific population (ethnicity, ability, geographic location, gender identity, etc.) targeted by the Junior Fellow.

   Knowledge and skills preferred: Ability to create learning activities. Knowledge of culturally relevant pedagogy.

10. Teen Internship Program Assistant and Content Developer (Remote) - Informal Learning Office

    Project Description: In this project, the Junior Fellow will assist the Informal Learning Office with the preparation, launch and successful implementation of the summer internship for teens, and serve as a liaison between teen participants and Informal Learning staff for the duration of the summer program. The Junior Fellow will assist the Informal Learning Office with disseminating information to the diverse group of teens and assist with virtual sessions. This year’s summer teen program will be offered in a hybrid format with high school students attending virtually and in-person. Over the last few years, the teen participants for this internship have reflected the diverse range of Library users from across the country. The Junior Fellow will help to ensure that this diversity of experience and interests are reflected in the work of the teen interns. The Junior Fellow will assist with most online sessions, helping the teens navigate Library systems and act as an informal mentor with whom teens can discuss their research and work. The Junior Fellow will help Informal Learning prepare and launch the intensive 4-week summer teen internship, during which participants will learn about the Library and help the Center for Learning, Literacy and Engagement develop and create diverse content to support the new participatory learning space for youth and families in the Library of Congress. Deliverables will include: collaboratively contributing to daily online interactive sessions and co-authoring posts for Minerva's Kaleidoscope blog for families about the internship experience and the primary sources identified by the participants.

    Knowledge and skills required: Strong research, verbal and written communication; proficiency with Zoom; intermediate level proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word and Excel; experience working with diverse youth audiences. History, education, museum studies, library sciences. Creative writing, blog writing, experience working in a public, research, or university library or museum in a visitor engagement or education capacity. Visitor engagement, exhibition design.

    Knowledge and skills preferred: Creative writing, blog writing, experience working in a public, research, or university library or museum in a visitor engagement or education capacity. Visitor engagement, exhibition design.

11. User Experience Research to Support the Library’s Digital Tools (Remote) - User Experience Design Section

    Project Description: Project Description: The Junior Fellow will help plan and conduct user experience (UX) research activities that inform how we develop and improve digital submission tools for donors and grantees submitting community and cultural materials to American Folklife Center programs, such as Community Collections Grants, Veterans History Project, Occupational Folklife Project and more. UX research comprises methods and activities that UX practitioners and digital designers undertake to better understand the users of the Library’s digital products and services. The Junior Fellow will work with UX designers, IT specialists and collections colleagues in the American Folklife Center. The Junior Fellow will help identify UX research questions, plan UX research studies, and conduct UX research activities that benefit digital tools in development. These digital tools support how donors and grant recipients send the files of their cultural collections to various Library programs, as well as how staff interact with those incoming collection materials. These files might include oral history interviews in audio or video format, images, documents, metadata (information) about their subjects, and more. The Junior Fellow will learn how to apply UX research methods, how to draw UX research insights, and how to create user-centered, actionable recommendations to teams developing the Library’s digital tools. These tools provide more equitable options for donors and grantees to send their community and cultural materials to the American Folklife Center, which will better diversify the Library's collections and archives.

    Knowledge and skills required: Demonstrate a curiosity for human behavior and how that impacts humans’ uses of digital tools. Ability to speak and write with clarity, and to engage collaboratively with colleagues in a remote setting. Demonstrate patience in learning complex digital concepts. Demonstrate good time management and organizational practices. Familiarity or experience with user experience (UX) research practices and concepts. Familiarity with the American Folklife Center and its collections, such as Community Collections Grants. Ability to plan and conduct user research studies of various methods. Skill in using PowerPoint to create slide presentations.

    Knowledge and skills preferred: Familiarity with metadata in its various forms. Familiarity with archives and library information science concepts. Familiarity with user-centered design and related concepts. Familiarity with digital design, web standards and design systems. Familiarity with digital tools like Confluence, Jira and Figma.

12. Year of Digital Accessibility (Remote) - Office of the Chief Information Officer

    Project Description: The Library is committed to a user-centered vision to realize a digitally enabled national library connecting to all Americans. This includes improving digital user experience across demographically, experientially, and cognitively diverse communities through enhanced accessibility and implementation. The Junior Fellow will provide support for the Year of Digital Accessibility program. This program is an annual, themed outreach and training effort. Its success depends on engaging content and supportive staff training. The 2024 theme is document accessibility. The likely 2025 theme is plain and inclusive language. Fellows will widen the program's engagement rate and support staff learning. The Junior Fellow will: research a selected theme; create and lead training on the selected theme; create content to communicate accessibility concepts, which may include presentations, tips on digital accessibility, games and exercises, articles or blogs; and review materials for accessibility standards. These activities will support our growing accessibility program, enhance staff performance and understanding, and help ensure we meet the needs of Congress and the public.

    Knowledge and skills required: English language fluency (written and spoken). Enthusiasm for accessibility and disability inclusion. Some experience teaching or training others. Strong written communication. Curiosity and love of learning. Experience with Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. Basic understanding of Digital Accessibility principles and practices. Outreach and advocacy skills. Experience with Adobe Acrobat and InDesign. Plain language and accessible communication skills. Some experience with libraries.

    Knowledge and skills preferred: Outreach and advocacy skills. Experience with Adobe Acrobat and InDesign. Plain language and accessible communication skills. Some experience with libraries.

Junior Fellows Program Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs for the 2025 Junior Fellows Program will be updated with specific dates in the fall of 2024.

1. What is GS-03/01 pay?

   These internships are full-time (40 hours per week), temporary staff positions at the 2024 GS-03/step 1 level (General Schedule hourly pay rate).  

   Onsite projects: The pay rate for onsite work in 2023 was $16.36 hour. This is subject to change for 2024 based on federal cost of living adjustments.

   Remote projects: Interns will be paid at the 2024 GS-03/step 1 level hourly pay rate based on the location where the work is performed.

   Find your location and its accompanying hourly pay rate here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2023/general-schedule/. Revisit this page in January to confirm pay rates for 2024.

2. What is the work schedule?

   Interns work 40 hours per week and determine with their Project Mentors the actual work schedule. With Project Mentor prior discussion and approval, interns may adjust their schedule within the Pay Period.

   Those selected for this position must be available to work 40 hours per week for the entire 10-week program, Monday - Friday. Interns must be able to work part of their schedule within the hours of 6:30 am – 6:00 pm Eastern Time and attend a mandatory orientation on May 20, 2024 from 8:30 am-12:00 pm Eastern Time.

   Onsite interns must be able to report onsite for the entire duration of the internship.

3. What is the location for this internship?

   Remote projects will be completed throughout the continental U.S.  Onsite projects will be completed within the Library’s Capitol Hill campus. Depending on the project, interns will work in one of these three buildings:

   • Jefferson Building: 10 First Street SE, Washington, DC
   • Adams Building: 120 Second Street SE, Washington, DC
   • Madison Building: 101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC
4. Do I need to provide a transcript?

   Yes. A legible copy of your latest college/university transcripts is required with your online application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application.Your transcript will be used to certify your eligibility for the program.

   Official transcripts will be required if selected for the position. Transcripts must be issued by the college or university, and must include your name, the name of the institution, and the courses and course dates. Screenshots, Word or other text documents, and stand-alone course lists are not acceptable.

   Failure to submit the required legible documentation at the time of application will result in disqualification. If you do not have an unofficial transcript at your disposal, please submit another document from your institution and/or registrar’s office to certify your current enrollment.

5. What are the selecting officials looking for in the application?

   Selecting officials will consider experience, education, and interests related to the projects. While not required, experience or education in cultural institution-related fields can be a plus.

6. I am interested in more than one project for this program.  Can I apply to more than one?  Must I submit separate applications for each?

   In the Vacancy Questions, you will be asked to select your three top project choices within the selected format (remote or onsite) and describe how your education, experience, interests and/or training align with your selected projects.

   Submit only one application package per format.

   If you are interested in remote and onsite projects, you must submit separate applications for each.Note that you can only be selected for one project (remote or onsite).

7. Can I do two projects at the same time?

   No. You can only work on one project for this internship. If you apply for a remote project and an onsite project and receive offers for both, you will need to choose one.

8. I have not started my academic program yet. I am already registered for classes. Am I still eligible to apply?

   To be eligible, you do indeed need to be taking classes already, at the point of application (or be a recent graduate between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023). While you are unfortunately not eligible for the 2024 session of JFP, please do look for upcoming internship opportunities at the Library of Congress.

9. What is the time frame for recent graduate eligibility?

   Recent graduates between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023 are eligible to apply.

10. Do you provide housing?

    No.

11. Do you provide transportation?

    Onsite interns are eligible to receive a transit subsidy for local public transportation.

12. What steps should I take when preparing my application to make sure I qualify and meet the requirements for this opportunity?

    Assess your schedule in advance as much as possible to make sure you are able to meet the 40 hour per/week time commitment within the hours of 9:30 am- 3:00 pm Eastern Time, Monday-Friday.

    Review the JFP 2024 How to Apply Guide for step-by-step guidelines on preparing and submitting your application.

    Plan to submit your application through USAJOBS in advance of the 11:59 pm Eastern Time  deadline on Tuesday, November 28, 2023 to allow time for any technical issues.  Late applications will not be accepted.

13. What are the Vacancy Questions required for this application?
    • Describe how your education, experience, and/or training support the knowledge and skills required for your selected projects (2000 character limit).

    We highly recommend that you craft responses that best demonstrate your writing skills. Selecting officials may consider your responses as writing samples, especially for projects that culminate in intern-produced written publications.

14. What should I include in my federal resume?
    • Dates, hours, level of experience and examples for each work experience.
    • Volunteer work and roles in community organizations.
    • Numbers, percentages, and/or dollars that highlight your accomplishments.

    Find more details and guidance here: USAJOBS Help Center | What should I include in my federal resume

15. How many academic credits do I receive in the program?

    The Library of Congress is not an academic institution and does not grant course credits. However, you may check with your school about receiving credits for your fellowship if interested.

16. I am not available to start the internship on Monday, May 20, 2024. Am I still eligible?

    No. We require all interns to report on the same day, Monday, May 20, 2024 for a mandatory orientation from 8:30 am - 12:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. During the orientation, interns will meet Library staff and complete onboarding tasks.

17. I cannot work 40 hours/week for the 10 weeks of the program’s duration. Am I still eligible?

    No. Unfortunately, hours are not flexible, but we encourage you to apply for other Library of Congress opportunities in the near future if your schedule aligns.

18. Is a background check required?

    If you are selected, a background check will be required. You will be contacted by the Library’s Personnel Security Division with directions detailing how to proceed. Follow the directions carefully and complete the required tasks as soon as possible. Late submissions will impact the onboarding process.

19. I will be living overseas during the summer of 2024. Can I still apply?

    No. Interns must be located in the continental U.S. for the entire duration of the internship.

20. Can my internship lead to a full-time job?

    The internships come with no guarantee for permanent employment. However, we encourage those interested in careers at the Library of Congress to look at all job opportunities listed on the USAJOBS website and the Library’s Careers website. The new skills and experience gained during your time at the Library can be used as a stepping stone and the supervisor of your fellowship can be a valuable reference for your future job searches.

21. Will these internships be offered in the fall or winter?

    No. Junior Fellows is a summer internship only. For additional information about internships and fellowships at the Library of Congress, visit the Internship and Fellowship Program portal: https://www.loc.gov/ifp Click on the Overview tab to explore other internships at the Library of Congress.

22. What is the timeline for hiring decisions?

    Selections for all 2024 Fellows are projected to be complete by late March 2024. Notices of selection or non-selection will be sent out in the first week of April 2024. If you have any questions regarding the vacancy announcement or the status of your application, please contact jobhelp@loc.gov.

23. How can I stay connected to the Junior Fellows Program?

    Subscribe to the Of the People blog, an active platform for JFP intern spotlights, program resources, and new ways to engage with Library collections.