Nashville Public Library offers internships and library practicums for college and graduate school students.
College Internships & Library Practicum
About Internships and Library Practicums
Library Internships
Library internships are designed for college students with interests in many disciplines of the humanities, social sciences, arts, and education. Students engage in career exploration and complete well-defined projects, supervised by library staff who mentor and guide. Time commitment is usually 100-150 hours during a semester (10-15 hours per week). Available internships change each term.
High school students and youth seeking summer internships should check with the POWER Youth Summer Employment Initiative (formerly Opportunity Now), which offers internships, work experiences, and a job portal for youth ages 14-24.
Library Practicums
The Library Practicum is designed for MLIS/MIS graduate students preparing for library careers. It offers both breadth and depth of experience through a carefully structured sequence of assignments in different Nashville Public Library divisions and branches, followed by an extended assignment in an area of professional interest. The practicum is normally a 150 hour commitment within a semester (10-15 hours per week).
Application Process
Apply online using the form linked at the end of each position description. You may indicate interest in more than one position on the form. Applicants will be contacted to schedule a telephone interview and may be asked to submit additional materials. Applications undergo a thorough review and students will be notified of their status.
The Library offers internships and library practicums for spring, summer and fall terms. Position descriptions, requirements, and qualifications are posted for individual positions as they become available, up to one year in advance.
Internships and practicums are open until filled. Placement is competitive and not guaranteed. We are not able to accommodate late requests or applications.
Opportunities
Internship Available:
Summer 2024
Project Description:
Would help with growing partnerships and conduct research for our Nashville Helps website and to discover new agencies to add to our already growing list of English Language Learning, HiSET, and other adult education classes. Help with event organization and shadow for outreach for Adult Education agencies in and around Nashville. Will also work on discovering and researching new potential areas for Adult Literacy growth within Davidson County. Reader’s reference work for Adult Literacy booklists.
Qualifications:
Time management, proficient in Microsoft Office and Google Drive. Viable transportation. Adheres to good customer service. Comfortable with research. Any liberal arts, language, information science, or business degree program seeking student are preferred.
Desired skills: Bilingual
Position Type:
Unpaid, flexible hours, 5-10 hours per week. 100 – 150 Hrs.
Internship Available:
Project Description:
Internship duties would focus primarily on digitization and data entry for selected files from the Davidson County Tax Assessor, Property Appraisal File Cards, 1960-2007. These files contain photographs, sketches, correspondence, appraisal notes, and ownership/business information. This record group represents a unique comprehensive look at the Metro Nashville/Davidson County area and the functions of its government.
Additionally, the intern would learn about/assist in other aspects of managing a large records collection including creating a finding aid, developing a processing strategy, and managing relationships between multiple archival collections. This position would provide an ideal opportunity for young/future archival professionals to learn about government archiving work, processing a large collection, digitization/preservation, and the potential current/future impacts of archives.
The intern will also produce an article regarding their project for the NAGARA quarterly review and have the opportunity to create something similar for Metro Archives.
Qualifications:
Applicants should be college or graduate students (including recent graduates) with an interest in archival processing and data collections, government administration, history, and/or urban development. Applicants should have the ability to work independently, with accuracy and attention to detail, as well as basic digital literacy. Knowledge of Excel, digital imaging, and basic document preservation skills are desirable – however, skills can be taught during the internship. Additionally, an interest in working in the government sector and knowledge of basic archival principles history, Public History, Archival Studies, Records Management, Information Sciences is preferred but not required.
Position Type:
Paid Project by NAGARA. Internship to be conducted in-person, during weekdays (12-30 hours/week); otherwise, flexible scheduling based on selected candidate’s schedule; Internship will be concluded by August 2024
Internship Available:
Project Description:
Assist internal and external producers on production in the studio using various pieces of Television production equipment while under the guidance of studio staff. Learn the interworking of broadcast automation tools such as Cablecast. Maintain studio and customer data using ZOHO CRM platform.
Qualifications:
Videography, Video Editing, Animation, Photography, or Audio Production preferred. Film & Television, Social Media Marketing, Photography, Animation, Audio Engineering program students are preferred as well.
Position Type:
Unpaid, flexible hours, 5-10 hours per week. 120 hrs. Free NECAT Membership for a year following completion of Internship. Ability to produce and air their own projects on NECAT Network. Free use of production equipment for projects to be aired on NECAT Network during duration of internship and a year following completion.