The American Folklife Center works to preserve and present folklife through programs of research, documentation, archival preservation, reference services, live performance, exhibitions, publications, and training. The Folklife Internship provides professional development experiences related to documentation, archival practice, cultural heritage research, and programming; builds participants’ knowledge about the fields of folklore, ethnomusicology, and archival practice; and offers mentorship opportunities with senior folklorists, ethnomusicologists, and archivists. An AFC staff supervisor will assign work on a specific project in accordance with the successful applicant’s qualifications and interests. United States citizens currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate school are invited to apply for consideration as an AFC paid intern, as are community scholars or other individuals with experience working in the heritage sector.
Summary
The American Folklife Center works to preserve and present folklife through programs of research, documentation, archival preservation, reference services, live performance, exhibitions, publications, and training. The Folklife Internship provides professional development experiences related to documentation, archival practice, cultural heritage research, and programming; builds participants’ knowledge about the fields of folklore, ethnomusicology, and archival practice; and offers mentorship opportunities with senior folklorists, ethnomusicologists, and archivists. An AFC staff supervisor will assign work on a specific project in accordance with the successful applicant’s qualifications and interests. United States citizens currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate school are invited to apply for consideration as an AFC paid intern, as are community scholars or other individuals with experience working in the heritage sector.
This program offers participants insights into the environment and activities of the American Folklife Center, which pairs robust cultural programming with the world's largest ethnographic archive. Interns will be exposed to a broad spectrum of public programs and archives work: artist liaison, production, preservation, reference, access standards, and information management. Depending on the specific project they are assigned, interns will assist staff with coordinating and producing public programs; archival processing of special collections in many different formats; managing digital outreach activities and communications; or supporting reference and research activities. Near the end of their appointment at the Library, the interns will reflect on their projects and experiences by producing a blog post, as well as a presentation for AFC staff.
2018 Projects:
The project names for 2018 are listed below. For further information on any project, please contact the American Folklife Center: folklife@loc.gov or 202-707-5510.
01 - Podcast Development and Series Production: Assist staff in series creation, including script editing, gathering source audio, post-production, and publicity.
02 – Reference and Researcher Support: Assist with the development of researcher support systems drawing on standard library tools, and participate in staff-led efforts to gauge user needs.
03 - Ethnographic Photographs: Assist archivists with processing and digitization preparation of visual documentation generated by eminent fieldworkers from the 20th century. Project includes preparation of archival materials and metadata for 35mm color slides and black-and-white negatives.
04 – Native American collections access: Assist archivists with descriptive access projects involving Native American collections to improve tribal access to cultural heritage materials housed at AFC. Project includes transforming legacy metadata to aid in analysis and identification of audio recordings as well as manuscript collections.
1. All projects require basic knowledge of Microsoft Office programs.
2. MUST be first time participant in the AFC Folklife Internship Program.
3. Program participants from previous years not eligible to reapply.
Qualifications
1. Familiarity with concepts relevant to preserving and presenting folklife and cultural heritage. Internship is open to non-students and students alike, so there are multiple ways to demonstrate qualification:
- through completion of substantive coursework in fields such as folklore, ethnomusicology, American studies, anthropology, heritage studies, or library and archives management of cultural materials; or
- equivalent experience working in the field with communities on cultural heritage documentation, presentation, and/or preservation
2. MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR FULL TEN WEEK PERIOD at $700 per week. (NO EXCEPTIONS)(Note: The start and ending dates have changed to coincide with the beginning of the pay period cycle.) You may choose to start on May 29 thru Aug 3rd, or June 11 thru Aug 13th, or June 25, thru Aug 27, 2018.
3. Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of a personnel security/suitability investigation.
4. Resume (either uploaded or created using the Resume Builder).
5. Completed Form OF-306 (Declaration for Federal Employment) available at http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/of0306.pdf. You must use the October 2011 version of this form. The form must be filled out completely, signed legibly and dated in ink. Incomplete OF-306 forms will not be accepted. Scan and upload the signed form and submit the form at the time of application.
6. If applicable: latest transcript from the current or most recently attended college or university; unofficial copy acceptable.
7. Cover letter stating professional objectives and relevant professional skills; include language abilities if relevant. The cover letter should clearly identify your top 2 project choices and why you have chosen them.
8. Contact information for two (2) references who can speak to your knowledge, skills, and abilities when it comes to professional aptitude in project-driven work environments.
Additional information
The Library of Congress is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities who meet eligibility requirements are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants must submit a complete application package that is received by the closing date of this announcement. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify ADA@loc.gov. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The date of certification must be within one year of the vacancy closing date. For more information contact the selective placement program coordinator at 202-707-6362 or email spp@loc.gov. The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service. Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation. The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Completed application packages will be forwarded to selecting officials in American Folklife Center (AFC) who will interview with promising applicants, based on the application package and desired skills. To preview questions please click here.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
If any documents are missing, your application will be disqualified.
1. REQUIRED - Resume.
2. REQUIRED – Contact information for two (2) references who can speak to your knowledge, skills, and abilities when it comes to professional aptitude in project-driven work environments.
3. OPTIONAL- Latest transcript from the current or most recently attended university or college. We will accept an unofficial copy.
4. REQUIRED - Cover letter stating professional objectives and relevant professional skills; include language abilities if relevant. The cover letter should clearly identify your top 2 project choices and why you have chosen them.
5. REQUIRED - Complete form OF-306 (Declaration for Federal Employment) available at: http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/of0306.pdf. You must use the October 2011 version of this form. The form must be filled out completely, signed legibly and dated in ink. Incomplete OF-306 forms will not be accepted. Scan and upload the signed form and submit the form at the time of application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please carefully follow all instructions under the How to Apply tab to ensure you are considered for the position. You are required to apply online for this announcement. Mailed or e-mailed documents WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. You must complete the entire application process, including submission of all documents BEFORE this announcement closes. To do so, complete the following steps.
Step 1: If you do not already have one, create a resume on USAJOBS. Although you must enter your Social Security Number for USAJOBS, this information will not be provided to the Library of Congress.
Step 2: Review the Job Announcement. We recommend you go to the end of the Qualification and Evaluation section of the job announcement to preview the online questions that you will answer in Step 4. You may wish to customize your USAJOBS resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions.
Step 3: Click on the "APPLY ONLINE" button to the right of this announcement. Follow USAJOBS' instructions to access your account and submit your resume. You will be redirected to the Hiring Management website to complete the application process. If this is your first time in Hiring Management, you will be asked to answer questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. You will be able to update this information and save it to our account for future announcements.
Step 4: Once you have completed the eligibility questions, you will be taken directly to the vacancy application questions. Answer all questions honestly and thoroughly.
Step 5: Hiring Management offers three options that will electronically attach your documentation to your online application once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement. (1) You may select a document that you have already uploaded to USAJOBS for a previous announcement. (2) You may electronically upload a document directly from your computer to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS. (3) You may follow the "Faxing Supporting Documentation" instructions within the online application, which will provide the necessary cover sheets for each of your documents so that they will be correctly submitted. The fax number will be available on the cover sheet. Please note that each cover sheet and corresponding document must be faxed separately. Be certain to review your complete fax transmittal confirmation to ensure that all pages have been received.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have multiple documents of the same kind, e.g. 2 undergraduate transcripts from different schools or 2 SF-50s, etc., be sure that they are all in the same file on your computer or in your USAJOBS profile before uploading them. If you try uploading them individually, only the last one sent will be visible in our system. Likewise, if sending them by fax, be sure and include both of them behind the respective fax cover sheet and send them as one fax. If you send them individually with the same cover sheet, the last one sent will overwrite the first one. Finally, if you upload a document, e.g. your undergraduate transcript, do not also fax that same document (or fax another undergraduate transcript), because whichever one you send last will be the only one that is visible in our system. If you have any questions about this information, please contact the person on this announcement BEFORE the closing date.
Step 6: Click on "Submit" after you have completed your application. Once you have submitted your application, you can check your status online through your Hiring Management or MY USAJOBS account. Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation (e.g., SF-50, etc.) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of the announcement. It is your responsibility to ensure that all documents are received on time and that the materials are readable. Failure to do so will result in your application being excluded from consideration for this announcement. If you are experiencing any technical difficulty with the online process, you MUST CONTACT THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. For all technical issues please contact StudentPrograms@loc.gov, no later than 4:30pm EST of the Closing Date. REQUESTS FOR EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE GRANTED.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
101 Independence Ave. SE
LM-107
Washington, District of Columbia 20540
United States
Next steps
Please review our evaluation process under "How You Will Be Evaluated." You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My USAJOBS" tab and clicking on "My Applications". You will receive final notification via e-mail when this vacancy has been filled.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
If any documents are missing, your application will be disqualified.
1. REQUIRED - Resume.
2. REQUIRED – Contact information for two (2) references who can speak to your knowledge, skills, and abilities when it comes to professional aptitude in project-driven work environments.
3. OPTIONAL- Latest transcript from the current or most recently attended university or college. We will accept an unofficial copy.
4. REQUIRED - Cover letter stating professional objectives and relevant professional skills; include language abilities if relevant. The cover letter should clearly identify your top 2 project choices and why you have chosen them.
5. REQUIRED - Complete form OF-306 (Declaration for Federal Employment) available at: http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/of0306.pdf. You must use the October 2011 version of this form. The form must be filled out completely, signed legibly and dated in ink. Incomplete OF-306 forms will not be accepted. Scan and upload the signed form and submit the form at the time of application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please carefully follow all instructions under the How to Apply tab to ensure you are considered for the position. You are required to apply online for this announcement. Mailed or e-mailed documents WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. You must complete the entire application process, including submission of all documents BEFORE this announcement closes. To do so, complete the following steps.
Step 1: If you do not already have one, create a resume on USAJOBS. Although you must enter your Social Security Number for USAJOBS, this information will not be provided to the Library of Congress.
Step 2: Review the Job Announcement. We recommend you go to the end of the Qualification and Evaluation section of the job announcement to preview the online questions that you will answer in Step 4. You may wish to customize your USAJOBS resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions.
Step 3: Click on the "APPLY ONLINE" button to the right of this announcement. Follow USAJOBS' instructions to access your account and submit your resume. You will be redirected to the Hiring Management website to complete the application process. If this is your first time in Hiring Management, you will be asked to answer questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. You will be able to update this information and save it to our account for future announcements.
Step 4: Once you have completed the eligibility questions, you will be taken directly to the vacancy application questions. Answer all questions honestly and thoroughly.
Step 5: Hiring Management offers three options that will electronically attach your documentation to your online application once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement. (1) You may select a document that you have already uploaded to USAJOBS for a previous announcement. (2) You may electronically upload a document directly from your computer to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS. (3) You may follow the "Faxing Supporting Documentation" instructions within the online application, which will provide the necessary cover sheets for each of your documents so that they will be correctly submitted. The fax number will be available on the cover sheet. Please note that each cover sheet and corresponding document must be faxed separately. Be certain to review your complete fax transmittal confirmation to ensure that all pages have been received.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have multiple documents of the same kind, e.g. 2 undergraduate transcripts from different schools or 2 SF-50s, etc., be sure that they are all in the same file on your computer or in your USAJOBS profile before uploading them. If you try uploading them individually, only the last one sent will be visible in our system. Likewise, if sending them by fax, be sure and include both of them behind the respective fax cover sheet and send them as one fax. If you send them individually with the same cover sheet, the last one sent will overwrite the first one. Finally, if you upload a document, e.g. your undergraduate transcript, do not also fax that same document (or fax another undergraduate transcript), because whichever one you send last will be the only one that is visible in our system. If you have any questions about this information, please contact the person on this announcement BEFORE the closing date.
Step 6: Click on "Submit" after you have completed your application. Once you have submitted your application, you can check your status online through your Hiring Management or MY USAJOBS account. Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation (e.g., SF-50, etc.) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of the announcement. It is your responsibility to ensure that all documents are received on time and that the materials are readable. Failure to do so will result in your application being excluded from consideration for this announcement. If you are experiencing any technical difficulty with the online process, you MUST CONTACT THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. For all technical issues please contact StudentPrograms@loc.gov, no later than 4:30pm EST of the Closing Date. REQUESTS FOR EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE GRANTED.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
101 Independence Ave. SE
LM-107
Washington, District of Columbia 20540
United States
Next steps
Please review our evaluation process under "How You Will Be Evaluated." You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My USAJOBS" tab and clicking on "My Applications". You will receive final notification via e-mail when this vacancy has been filled.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
