Exciting Opportunity for Spring 2013 at Naper Settlement

Blacksmith Shop at Naper Settlement Museum

The John K. and Judith H. Powell Museum Studies Internship is a competitive internship offering practical museum training experience to individuals interested in pursuing a career in the museum field. This internship position offers the opportunity to gain general knowledge and a broad understanding of how the curatorial and education departments function within the context of a major museum.

To be overseen by the Chief Curator, the intern will be provided with a cursory overview of curatorial practices in the museum setting. Included in the overview will be an introduction to techniques such as artifact evaluation and handling, cataloging and processing, archives digitization, introduction to Nomenclature classification systems, collection inventory, assistance with collections reorganization and re-housing, and review and management of environmental conditions in collection areas. General assistance with other curatorial operations will be incorporated into job duties as necessary for a well-rounded curatorial experience.

The intern will also assist education staff with program and educational material development in delivery to the museum’s K-12 school audiences. This may include facilitating and evaluating programs/activities and developing online resources.

In conjunction with exposure to curatorial and education department operations, the intern will conduct research on assigned topics to further program or interpretation development, as well as collection documentation.

Approximate allocation of time will be spent as follows:
• 60% - documentation, cataloging, re-housing of collections
• 25% - program development, evaluation practices, possible online resource development
• 15% - research to support collections documentation and interpretation needs

Junior and senior-year undergraduate students in good standing at an accredited four-year college or university, a recent graduate within the past 24 months, or a master’s candidate are eligible to apply. Application deadline is November 5, 2012. Selection will be based on academic background, professional skills, interest, career goals, and ability to meet the museum’s needs. An interview is required for final candidates. The internship period will run January through April 2013. A weekly commitment of 10-15 hours per week is required. A stipend of $500.00 is offered for this internship through the generosity of John K. and Judith H. Powell Endowment. For more information, email nsinternship@naperville.il.us or visit www.napersettlement.museum.

Two More Fall Internships

The Illinois Labor History Society is looking for an undergraduate intern. This internship is particularly good for a student who is interested in labor history and also keen on the skills needed for public events. In the 75 hours with the ILHS, the intern will:

• Catalog the inventory of monographs written by young scholars (many went on to write important books on the same subjects);
• Catalog and organize labor and political pamphlets;
• Work with then Administrative Manager on activities related to the major annual event, the Union Hall of Honor: phone calls, writing publicity, conducting research, developing program;
• Other writing, research, cataloging, and clerical work for ILHS as needed.

The ILHS office is located downtown, near the Red Line, at 123 W. Madison. The student would need to figure her/his hours between 10am-3pm when the manager is present.  Interested students should contact Joanna Misnick at 312-663-4107 or ilhs@prodigy.net.

WTTW has 2 internships that we are very interested in filling for the Fall 2012 Semester. We have a “Chicago-area History & Architecture Research Internship” and a “10 Buildings Architecture & History Internship.” Interns should have excellent research, writing, communication, and computer skills, be resourceful, mature and professional. An interest and/or education in Chicago history are important. Familiarity with Chicago is very helpful. Knowledge of TV production is useful, but not required. We prefer interns to be available at least 16 hours per week during the fall, winter and spring terms; additional hours available during the summer and for recent graduates. It is also helpful if the intern has a car or driver's license, but not required.

Learning opportunities include:

• Assist in the research of content for writing of scripts for the “Ask Geoffrey” segment.
• Assist in gathering and organizing of archival images, film, or video to support research for the “Ask Geoffrey” segment.
• Help research and gather archival materials for periodic Chicago Tonight stories as needed.
• May participate in field production shoots as needed.
• Provide general office assistance as needed.

Most work will take place at WTTW studios on the northwest side of Chicago. Interns may need
to travel to libraries, museums, and other institutions to complete their research assignments.
Interns may also accompany and assist on field production shoots.

Interested students or recent graduates should email their resume and cover letter expressing their qualifications and interest in the internship to: jobs@wttw.com . Please have them reference which internship they are applying for in the subject line of all correspondence to ensure proper routing.

Fall 2012 Internship Opportunities

Some great internship opportunities for undergraduates looking to earn HIST 398 credit this fall:

The National Public Housing Museum seeks interns who are looking for hands-on historical research experience. Our interns are never stuck cataloging or filing, instead they work directly with our research team to provide historical context to the stories of public housing across America. Interns will be expected to complete accurate first and second hand research on a variety of topics, from Chicago neighborhoods to musicians who were raised in public housing (our current exhibit in the works). Interns may have opportunities to meet former and current residents for first hand interviews, although most work will be completed via databases and library research. Interns may also be expected to attend museum events and lectures, if it works with their school schedules. Interested candidates can send a resume to Jordan Glover at jglover@nphm.org or call 312.996.0834

The Pritzker Military Library has two internship opportunities available. The first is for a student who will create bibliographies and pathfinders as well as learn how to conduct reference interviews, work in our catalogue, and maintain the circulation desk. The second is for an oral history intern who will help with recording oral histories of local veterans, from assisting with advertising and development to possibly taking the lead role in veteran interviews. The student intern will also be responsible for working on transcriptions and library tours. Interested candidates should contact Christy Stanford at cstanford@pritzkermilitarylibrary.org.

Loyola’s Medieval Garden and Labyrinth is looking for interns who want to either:

(1) Research and write educational material about various aspects of the Medieval Garden and Labyrinth.  Design and prepare educational and informative materials such as web pages, posters, brochures, and signage.  Create 'user guides' to the gardens and labyrinth for the university community and other potential users, such as preschool and grade school groups.  Become (or train someone to become) a docent for the garden and labyrinth. Or,

(2) Help plan and implement the expansion of the Medieval Gardens.  Possibilities include: in cooperation with other groups on (and off) campus, create a compost pile for the garden; research and plan the vegetable and herb sections of the garden; working with Midwest Fruit Growers club or the Botanic Gardens, learn how to espalier and graft fruit trees; design and implement trellises and arbors for the garden; come up with ways to use the fruits of the garden once it becomes productive.

For more information or to apply, please contact Dr. T. Gross-Diaz (tgross@luc.edu).

"Documenting Women's Activism and Leadership in the Chicago Area, 1945-2000"

The Chicago Area Women’s History Council (CAWHC)’s new project builds on our previous work with a focus on women’s participation in the second-wave movements of the 1960s - 80s. The goals of this project are to identify, preserve and share the basic archival resources necessary for a full understanding of Chicago women’s activism and leadership during this period. Chicago women were local and national leaders in many areas, but their contributions are overlooked and/or ignored in most historical accounts. It is critical that this project is undertaken now while precious historical materials and memories are still available.

Major components of the project include an online database, accessible to all; a survey of relevant resources currently available in archival repositories; outreach to activists and organizations, encouraging and facilitating deposit of their archives into permanent repositories; and an oral history component wherein activists and leaders, and those influenced by the movement, will be interviewed and their memories preserved and shared.

If you would like to participate in this project, or you know of resources that we should consider, please get in touch with us through our website www.cawhc.org or contact Mary Ann Johnson at majohn4@prodigy.net

Jesuit Libraries Project: Reconstructing Loyola’s First Library

Students interested in the history of the book and libraries, Catholic intellectual history, the history of education, and the history of Loyola are encouraged to apply for an internship to work with faculty in the History Department and the University Archives on a project digitally reconstructing Loyola’s first library catalogue.  Over the course of the semester, interns will learn how to scan this important manuscript using the University Archive’s state-of-the-art scanner, will correct the transcription of the manuscript catalogue, will analyze the contents of the catalogue, will research surviving books in the collections of Rare Books and Cudahy, and finally will help prepare the scanned manuscript for digital publication.  For more information or to apply, please contact Dr Kyle Roberts (kroberts2@luc.edu).

The National Hellenic Museum in Chicago has internships available in the following areas:

Collections Management. Collections interns will have the opportunity to assist in all aspects of Collections Management and Registration including processing, cataloguing, provenance research and proper artifact handling and storage. Interns will gain direct experience with and knowledge of the Museum’s Collection. For Collections internships please send a cover letter and resume to chelms@hellenicmuseum.org  

Library and Archives, Oral History. Library and Archives interns will work in the daily management of the Gus & Mary Stathis Library and Resource Center. Tasks will include any aspect of storage, cataloging, documentation, and everyday care of material in the library and archives, as well as answering reference inquiries, assisting researchers in the archives reading room, and participating in the day-to-day management of the library and resource center. Students interested specifically in Oral History are also encouraged to apply. For Library & Archives and Oral History internships please send a cover letter and resume to janagnostopoulos@hellenicmuseum.org

Exhibitions. Exhibitions interns will assist with both exhibition-specific tasks and general curatorial activities. An effort will be made to include interns in various aspects and phases of a project or exhibition and to enable interns to gain an understanding of the exhibition process. Tasks may include but are not limited to general historical and/or art research, image research, writing, and data organization and entry. For Exhibitions internships please send a cover letter and resume to chelms@hellenicmuseum.org  

Education. Education interns will assist in the development and research of school, family, and adult programs, the development of gallery guides and other printed materials, planning, managing and directing public programs and events, and scheduling and training volunteers. For Education internships please send a cover letter and resume

to efreedbrown@hellenicmuseum.org

For more information about the internship program and application/contract forms, click here.