The Library of Congress Work Study Student Program is a progressive, career development program for local high school students. It combines on-the-job training and career development with classroom instructions and education. Under the program, students earn a federal salary, receive work site supervision and career assistance. Students will get the chance to work part-time when school is in session with the possibility of full-time employment during school breaks.
Summary
The Library of Congress Work Study Student Program is a progressive, career development program for local high school students. It combines on-the-job training and career development with classroom instructions and education. Under the program, students earn a federal salary, receive work site supervision and career assistance. Students will get the chance to work part-time when school is in session with the possibility of full-time employment during school breaks.
This program offers high school students insights into the environment and culture of the world's largest and most comprehensive repository of human knowledge. Work Study Students will be exposed to a broad spectrum of library work: copyright, preservation, reference, access standards, and information management.
Please see the list of required documents below. Incomplete applications will disqualify you from the program.
For more details about the Work Study Student Program, click here:
Students enrolled in a Work-Based Learning Program are given preference
Homeschooled students must have completed 70% of their high school studies
To be considered for a position students MUST submit ALL required documents
For a student to be eligible to submit an application for the Library of Congress Work Study Student Program they must meet the following requirements.
Must be a US Citizen
Must be enrolled in their Junior or Senior year of high school studies at a local high school not more than 45 minutes commute to worksite
Must be available for work Monday - Friday 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. OR Monday - Friday 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. - available from August 19, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
Must be least 16 years of age
Must be eligible for a Work Permit OR 18 years old
Must be in good standing with high school grades
Must be in good standing with previous employers or supervisors at volunteer positions
Must demonstrate positive behavior at high school and work environments
Must recommended by the appropriate high school officials through required e-mail procedure (see Required Documents section of vacancy for e-mail procedure)
Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library. In addition, past drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.
Qualifications
GS - 1: No experience required other than attendance in accredited high school with an early release time. (During High School Work Study Program)
Education
Students who are homeschooled must have completed 70% of their high school studies at the time of application as demonstrated on school transcript.
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.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If a student needs a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. 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.
You must provide all the Required Documents.
Completed Application through USAJOBS and federal resume attached to USAJOBS application.
Cover letter stating professional objectives; include language abilities and additional skills, if relevant.
Latest transcript from the current high school. (Report card and schedule of registered classes for the upcoming high school year is acceptable in place of transcript).
Letter of recommendation, from the appropriate high school Coordinator or high school counselor.
Completed application packages will be forwarded to selecting officials in the Library who will arrange telephone and in-person interviews with promising applicants, based on the application package and desired skills. Failure to include these required documents will result in disqualification.
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 considered incomplete and will be disqualified.
1. REQUIRED - Completed application through USAJOBS and federal resume attached to USAJOBS application.
2. REQUIRED - Cover letter stating professional objectives; include language abilities and additional skills, if relevant
3. REQUIRED - Latest transcript from the current high school. (Report card and schedule of registered classes for the upcoming high school year is acceptable in place of transcript)
4. REQUIRED - Letter of recommendation, from the appropriate high school Work-Based Learning Coordinator or high school counselor.
In the letter of recommendation, the Coordinator or counselor MUST assume responsibility for monitoring student's progress, attest to the applicant's proficiency, reliability and the feasibility of his/her carrying out assignments. Letter of recommendation MUST be emailed from the high school e-mail address of the Work-Based Learning Coordinator or counselor. E-mail letter to: jobhelp@loc.gov. The subject line MUST READ: Work Study Student Recommendation letter for [full name of applicant/student].
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 consideration for the position. Students are required to apply online for this announcement. Except for letters of recommendation, mailed or e-mailed documents WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Students 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 the student does not already have one, create a resume on USAJOBS. Although students must enter their Social Security Number for USAJOBS, this information will not be provided to the Library of Congress.
Step 2: Review the Job Announcement. We recommend students go to the end of the Qualification and Evaluation section of the job announcement to preview the online questions that will be answered in Step 4. Students may wish to customize their USAJOBS resume to ensure that it supports their responses to these questions.
Step 3: Click on the "APPLY ONLINE" button to the right of this announcement. Follow USAJOBS' instructions to access the students account and submit resume. The student will be redirected to the Hiring Management website to complete the application process. If this is the student's first time in Hiring Management, they will be asked to answer questions related to their eligibility for Federal employment. The student will be able to update this information and save it to our account for future announcements.
Step 4: Once the student has completed the eligibility questions, they will be taken directly to the vacancy application questions. Answer all questions honestly and thoroughly.
Step 5: Hiring Management offers two options that will electronically attach the student's documentation to their online application once they finish answering the questions in the job announcement. (1) The student may select a document that they have already uploaded to USAJOBS for a previous announcement. (2) The student may electronically upload a document directly from their computer to their application. Be certain to review the complete application for confirmation the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS. IMPORTANT NOTE: If the student has multiple documents of the same kind, e.g. 2 high school transcripts from different schools or 2 SF-50s, etc., be sure that they are all in the same file on the student's computer or in the student's USAJOBS profile before uploading them. If the student tries uploading them individually, only the last one sent will be visible in our system. If students have any questions about this information, please contact the person on this announcement BEFORE the closing date.
Step 6: Students click on "Submit" after they have completed their application. Once the application has been submitted, the student can check their status online through their Hiring Management or MY USAJOBS account. Student's 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 the student's responsibility to ensure that all documents are received on time and that the materials are readable. Failure to do so will result in the application being excluded from consideration for this announcement. If a student is experiencing any technical difficulty with the online process, they MUST CONTACT THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. For all technical issues please contact JobHelp@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
LM107
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.
Selection Process:
Applications Received
1. Student applications are received
2. Applications are reviewed for completeness and incomplete applications are disqualified
Applicant is Interviewed
1. Work Study Student Position becomes available
2. Hiring Manager calls student applicants for interview
3. Hiring Manager interviews student applicants
4. Students receive an update from their Hiring Manager shortly after the interview if they have been selected for a position. Students who have not received calls or e-mails have not been selected and remain in the pool of student applicants for consideration for other Work Study Student positions when they become available.
Applicant is Hired
1. Human Resources calls student applicant to offer the position and sends out Official Offer Letter to student, Vocational Teacher, and Hiring Manager
2. Student reports to jobsite for first day of employment
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 considered incomplete and will be disqualified.
1. REQUIRED - Completed application through USAJOBS and federal resume attached to USAJOBS application.
2. REQUIRED - Cover letter stating professional objectives; include language abilities and additional skills, if relevant
3. REQUIRED - Latest transcript from the current high school. (Report card and schedule of registered classes for the upcoming high school year is acceptable in place of transcript)
4. REQUIRED - Letter of recommendation, from the appropriate high school Work-Based Learning Coordinator or high school counselor.
In the letter of recommendation, the Coordinator or counselor MUST assume responsibility for monitoring student's progress, attest to the applicant's proficiency, reliability and the feasibility of his/her carrying out assignments. Letter of recommendation MUST be emailed from the high school e-mail address of the Work-Based Learning Coordinator or counselor. E-mail letter to: jobhelp@loc.gov. The subject line MUST READ: Work Study Student Recommendation letter for [full name of applicant/student].
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 consideration for the position. Students are required to apply online for this announcement. Except for letters of recommendation, mailed or e-mailed documents WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Students 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 the student does not already have one, create a resume on USAJOBS. Although students must enter their Social Security Number for USAJOBS, this information will not be provided to the Library of Congress.
Step 2: Review the Job Announcement. We recommend students go to the end of the Qualification and Evaluation section of the job announcement to preview the online questions that will be answered in Step 4. Students may wish to customize their USAJOBS resume to ensure that it supports their responses to these questions.
Step 3: Click on the "APPLY ONLINE" button to the right of this announcement. Follow USAJOBS' instructions to access the students account and submit resume. The student will be redirected to the Hiring Management website to complete the application process. If this is the student's first time in Hiring Management, they will be asked to answer questions related to their eligibility for Federal employment. The student will be able to update this information and save it to our account for future announcements.
Step 4: Once the student has completed the eligibility questions, they will be taken directly to the vacancy application questions. Answer all questions honestly and thoroughly.
Step 5: Hiring Management offers two options that will electronically attach the student's documentation to their online application once they finish answering the questions in the job announcement. (1) The student may select a document that they have already uploaded to USAJOBS for a previous announcement. (2) The student may electronically upload a document directly from their computer to their application. Be certain to review the complete application for confirmation the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS. IMPORTANT NOTE: If the student has multiple documents of the same kind, e.g. 2 high school transcripts from different schools or 2 SF-50s, etc., be sure that they are all in the same file on the student's computer or in the student's USAJOBS profile before uploading them. If the student tries uploading them individually, only the last one sent will be visible in our system. If students have any questions about this information, please contact the person on this announcement BEFORE the closing date.
Step 6: Students click on "Submit" after they have completed their application. Once the application has been submitted, the student can check their status online through their Hiring Management or MY USAJOBS account. Student's 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 the student's responsibility to ensure that all documents are received on time and that the materials are readable. Failure to do so will result in the application being excluded from consideration for this announcement. If a student is experiencing any technical difficulty with the online process, they MUST CONTACT THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. For all technical issues please contact JobHelp@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
LM107
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.
Selection Process:
Applications Received
1. Student applications are received
2. Applications are reviewed for completeness and incomplete applications are disqualified
Applicant is Interviewed
1. Work Study Student Position becomes available
2. Hiring Manager calls student applicants for interview
3. Hiring Manager interviews student applicants
4. Students receive an update from their Hiring Manager shortly after the interview if they have been selected for a position. Students who have not received calls or e-mails have not been selected and remain in the pool of student applicants for consideration for other Work Study Student positions when they become available.
Applicant is Hired
1. Human Resources calls student applicant to offer the position and sends out Official Offer Letter to student, Vocational Teacher, and Hiring Manager
2. Student reports to jobsite for first day of employment
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
