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Research Center Science and Business Reading Room

Internship Information

Business Section Volunteer Internship

The Library of Congress Business Section offers an annual spring volunteer internship that allows an individual to work with collections relating to business, economics or labor studies.

The Volunteer Internship Program seeks to provide:

  •  hands-on educational experience in business, economics, labor studies and/or information science;
  •  an opportunity to build networks with current and future generations of professionals;
  •  in-depth exposure to the Library's collections and resources; and
  •  activities that benefit both the intern and Business Reference Services.

In addition to a specific project focus, the selected intern may work on producing research guides, blog posts, and inventories, and may also be involved in reference, processing, special projects, and events, depending on their experience and the needs of the Division.

Although this internship is unpaid, it may be useful in exploring career options or in obtaining the experience necessary to enter an academic or special business library, or another business-related profession. In some cases, interns who are students have been able to arrange for academic credit through their academic institutions.

Expectations/Qualifications

  • Must be able to commit to a minimum of 160 hours; working at least 8 hours per week but no more than 40.
  • Must be available to start the last week of January.
  • Must be able to check in at least weekly with your assigned mentor.
  • Must be a current undergraduate junior or senior, graduate student, or have graduated no more than two years ago at the time of the internship.
  • Have an interest in business, economics, or labor studies and/or are working toward a degree in library or information science.
  • The intern must have a social security number and complete security checks if they are selected for the position.
  • If a non-U.S. citizen, the intern must have a J-1 or F-1 visa, or have a permanent resident card issued by the United States. The Library cannot sponsor visas for this internship.
  • For on-site projects, the intern would be responsible for covering housing and transportation expenses.
  • For virtual projects, the intern would need to provide their own computer and reliable internet connection.

Application Process

Applications are accepted from September 1 to September 30. Send a resume and cover letter to Natalie Burclaff, Head, Business Section. In your cover letter, indicate which project or projects, provided at the bottom of the page, are of interest, and whether you would can volunteer on-site or virtually. Only one intern will be selected per project. Not all projects will be filled each spring, as the number of volunteers we can support are determined by staff availability. For more information on other Library internships, please see Internships and Fellowships Programs.

Timeline

  • Applications accepted: September 1-September 30
  • Informal virtual interviews: September-October
  • Notification sent to selected volunteer intern: by October 31
  • Conditional Offers Extended (pending security check): by November 30
  • Volunteer Internship Start Date: last week of January

Spring 2025 Projects

  • Create an inventory of the airline tariff collection, description of volumes, and guide to using the collection (onsite only)
  • Significantly update the guide to "Business and Economics in Asia" and inventory 1980s foreign corporate reports from companies headquartered in Asian countries (onsite only)
  • Develop an online research guide to the mining industry in consultation with business reference specialists (onsite or virtual)
  • Write a series of blogs or short research guides on resources, events, or people in business, industry, and economics for our This Month in Business History feature (onsite or virtual)

Science Section Volunteer Internship

Thank you for your interest in our unpaid internship program. The Science Section has temporarily suspended its Volunteer Internship Program until further notice. Please check this page for updates regarding this program.

Location

Library of Congress
120 2nd St, SE
John Adams Building, LA 500
Washington, DC 20540-4810
View map External link

Hours

Public Hours
Monday through Thursday
8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturday
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed Sundays & Federal Holidays