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The intern program operates through the ALPLM Education Department.
Internships are available within a variety of departments in both
the library and museum. An internship with the ALPLM benefits
students by providing professional experience and an overview of the
museum and library fields. Interns have the opportunity to gain
useful skills and the chance to build a strong professional network.
References gained through work as an intern can be helpful in
securing future employment and admission to further programs of
study. The deadline to apply for the summer semester is April 1.
Eligibility
The ALPLM internship program is open to qualified college
students, recent graduates or graduate students. Interns from all
majors and interests are encouraged to apply.
Remuneration
ALPLM internships are unpaid. However, certain grant-funded
projects may include stipends for interns.
Academic credit
The ALPLM encourages interns to seek academic credit for their
internship and will assist in any way to help the intern receive it.
Contact your adviser or department chair to inquire about your
school's requirements.
Duration
Internships usually take place throughout the typical academic
spring, summer or fall semester.
Deadlines
-
Spring (January-May)
-- Nov. 1
-
Summer (May-August)
-- April 1
-
Fall
(September-December) -- July 1
Please note: Some internships fall outside the scope of the
typical academic calendar and are considered "special projects."
These are not subject to the deadlines listed above and may be for a
shorter or longer duration than one academic semester.
Uniforms
All interns will be required to wear uniforms consisting of the
official ALPLM shirt (provided) and khaki trousers or skirt
(knee-length or below).
Intern programs
Although internship opportunities are not always available,
interns are welcome to apply for positions within the following
departments.
Conservation
Working under the direction of the ALPL Conservation Department
staff, the intern would assist with a variety of conservation
treatments on historical book and paper materials. The intern may
also learn how to collect and interpret environmental data, assist
in the preparation and mounting of items for exhibit, assist in
answering preservation information inquiries, and assist in
preservation workshops and events. The scope of specific projects
will be based on the intern's skill level, interests, academic
requirements and the needs of the department. Students and recent
graduates from conservation training and bookbinding programs are
encouraged to apply. Related subject areas include library science,
with interest or specialization in preservation; museum studies,
with emphasis on collection care; and fine arts, with interest in
book and paper arts.
Education
Working under the director of education, interns will assist
professional staff in the creation of educational programs, outreach
and community collaborations. The interns might assist in developing
educational resource kits, lesson plans, workshops or special
events. In addition, interns assist staff in the interpretation of
Mrs. Lincoln's Attic, the museum's hands-on children's area.
Students and recent graduates in history, museum studies or
education are encouraged to apply.
Exhibits
Working under the direction of the Exhibits Division, the intern
would assist in the development of temporary exhibitions, including
research, graphic design, fabrication and installation. Students in
museum studies, art, architecture and design are encouraged to
apply.
Facilities Services
The Facilities Services Section provides support services for the
entire ALPLM complex. Interns interested in parks and recreation
would benefit from assisting in buildings and grounds maintenance,
especially in preparing for the new park for visitors. This
internship would provide hands-on opportunity to assist management
and building grounds staff in putting together an operational and
maintenance plan for the park. Duties would also include working
closely with Facility Rental and assisting in setting up and tearing
down for all special events.
Front Entry/Guest Services
An intern in the Front Entry/Guest Services Division would serve
as the primary contact for guests visiting the Abraham Lincoln
Presidential Library and Museum and the newly opened Union Station
Visitors Center and Park. Interns would assist in meeting and
greeting guests, responding to questions and concerns, assisting
with wheelchairs, and providing coat check. This intern position
would also sell and receive museum admission tickets and learn and
understand the procedures and policies of operating box office
sales.
Information Technologies
As part of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, the ALPLM
is only one of five buildings the IT Division supports. An IT intern
would assist primarily with desktop and end user support. Duties
would include the working with configuration, installation and
troubleshooting of operating systems (Windows XP and Windows 2000);
software (Microsoft Office products); printers and scanners;
BlackBerrys, cell phones and radios; IT inventory reconciliation;
preparation of equipment for surplus; and desktop hardware
(computers and peripherals).
Library Services
Interns in the Library Services Division will gain an
understanding of what it is like to work in a special research
library. The focus of the collections is on Illinois history,
biography, genealogy and geography. The division includes the
printed and published collection, including books, pamphlets and
maps; the microfilming lab; the conservation lab; and acquisitions
and cataloging sections. Interns may provide direct public service
to library patrons and assist in the use of the online card catalog,
assisting and instructing users in accessing the various online
databases that are available in the Steve Neal Reading Room,
retrieving books and materials from the closed stack area,
conducting shelf maintenance tasks, and preparing bibliographies on
various topics. The support departments of the division will
introduce the intern to "behind the scenes" tasks, including
becoming familiar with resources used to order books for the library
collection, including the accompanying fiscal operations; assisting
in preparing books for cataloging; and assisting in cataloging and
processing books and materials into the collection, using the OCLC
and Horizon databases.
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 Lincoln Collection
Working under the supervision of the Lincoln curator and the
Lincoln Collection staff, an intern may assist in a variety of
duties, depending on the current needs of the department, including
assisting in processing new materials, creating and updating finding
aids or bibliographic materials and databases, assessing and
implementing computer applications for data management, photocopying
or scanning materials, transcribing select documents and performing
relevant research, assisting in the preservation of collection
materials, and assisting with special projects assigned to the
department. This internship is appropriate for college students,
graduate students and recent graduates with an interest in history,
social sciences or the humanities. Library science or information
science students are encouraged to apply. Interns must have already
successfully completed at least one year of college course work.
Preference will be given to students who have successfully completed
a course in historical or archival sources and methods or who are
otherwise generally familiar with basic historical reference works
and finding aids available in most college or research libraries. In
addition, the following skills will be considered: good writing
skills, basic computer skills such as word processing, familiarity
with database or digital image programs, an appreciation for the
fragility and uniqueness of historical materials, and ability to
tolerate dust and mold associated with some Lincoln Collection
materials. For assisting with preservation projects, interns must
have manual dexterity, must follow detailed instructions and perform
work in an accurate and careful manner, and must be comfortable with
the idea of handling sharp tools and specialized laboratory
equipment and learn how to use them safely.
Manuscripts
Working under the supervision of the Manuscripts Department
staff, the intern may assist in a variety of duties, depending on
the current needs of the department, including creating and updating
finding aids or bibliographic materials, translating documents,
transcribing selected documents for exhibits or articles and
performing relevant research, processing collections, and assisting
with special projects assigned to the department. This internship is
appropriate for college students, graduate students and recent
graduates with an interest in history, social sciences or the
humanities. Library science or information science students with an
interest in archives or manuscripts are encouraged to apply. Interns
must have already successfully completed at least one year of
college course work. Preference will be given to history or library
and information science majors, followed by majors in other social
sciences or the humanities. Preference will also be given to
students who have successfully completed a course in historical or
archival sources and methods or who are otherwise generally familiar
with basic historical reference works and finding aids available in
most college or research libraries. In addition, the following
skills will be considered: good writing skills, basic computer
skills such as word processing, familiarity with database or digital
image programs, an appreciation for the fragility and uniqueness of
historical materials, and ability to tolerate dust and mold
associated with some collection materials.
Research
Interns in the Research Department would assist staff in research
for upcoming exhibitions to be featured in the Abraham Lincoln
Presidential Library and Museum or for special projects periodically
assigned to the Research Department. Interns will typically
participate in identifying, locating, examining and transcribing
from such historical source materials as microfilmed newspapers,
period imprints, manuscripts, government and legal records, maps,
and visual images. Duties may also include creating or updating
bibliographic materials, collection guides or databases, or
assisting oral historians in transcriptions and other duties.
Particular assignments may require research in nearby historical
repositories beyond the ALPLM, such as the Illinois State Archives
or the Sangamon Valley Collection at Springfield's public library,
the Lincoln Library. Preference will be given to history majors,
followed by other social science or humanities students. Preference
will also be given to students who have successfully completed a
course in historical or archival sources and methods or who are
otherwise generally familiar with basic historical reference works
and finding aids available in most college or research libraries. In
addition, the following skills will be considered: good writing
skills, basic computer skills such as word processing, familiarity
with database or digital image programs, an appreciation for the
fragility and uniqueness of historical materials, and ability to
tolerate dust and mold associated with some collection materials.
Shows
The Shows Division oversees the two theaters in the museum as
well as first-person interpretive characters performing in other
exhibit areas throughout the museum. An intern would work closely
with the attractions coordinator, learning about the inner workings
of the day-to-day operation of the unit and assisting with ushering
in the museum's two theaters. In addition, depending upon the needs
of the division, opportunities for interns could include playing a
character in the Cabinet Room exhibit or portraying a strolling
character in the park, playing a musical instrument or singing in
the plaza or park, researching and assisting in the creation of a
character that could be performed in museum programs, and
storytelling. Students with musical skills or theater backgrounds
are encouraged to apply.
Special projects
Special projects are often grant-funded internships, which may
include a stipend. These internships are frequently available on
short notice and thus are not governed by the deadlines above.
Applications for these positions are accepted on an as-needed basis.
No special projects are currently available.
Facilities Rental
An intern will assist Facilities Rental staff with day-to-day
office responsibilities, including answering phones, providing
rental information to potential clients and sending out rental
information via fax or mail. The intern would also assist in
tracking rental leads, providing brochures to potential clients,
assisting in signage requests, providing tours of the rental venues,
assisting in set-up for rental events and coordinating mailings.
Volunteer Services
Interns in the Volunteer Services Department would assist
professional staff in a variety of functions, including recruiting,
training and scheduling volunteers; assisting volunteers on special
projects and with special events; facilitating large mailings and
the production of a regular departmental newsletter; creating and
organizing training sessions and materials; and performing basic
office tasks, clerical duties and record-keeping.
Application procedure
Please submit:
-
Completed and signed
intern application form (also signed by adviser)
-
Resume
-
Two letters of
recommendation
-
College transcript (a
photocopy is acceptable)
-
Letter of interest
stating reasons for wanting to be an intern at the ALPLM,
including:
-
Personal goals
-
What the intern hopes
to achieve from the experience
-
How the internship
relates to career plans
-
What he or she
believes they can contribute to the museum or library
-
Special interests and
abilities
-
Specific information,
including dates available to work; number of hours per week;
number and days available to work
-
If doing this for
university credit, supply school requirements and adviser's name
and contact information.
Mail or e-mail to:
Carol Manning
Adult Education Coordinator
ALPLM
212 N. Sixth St.
Springfield, IL 62701
Carol.Manning@illinois.gov
An application is available online at
www.alplm.org.
[To download Adobe Acrobat Reader for the PDF
file, click here.]
[Text from Abraham Lincoln Presidential
Library and Museum news release received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |
