P/T - Archival Internship - NY Civil Liberties Union (Manhattan)

The NYCLU is a statewide organization dedicated to the protection and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights for all New Yorkers. Summer 2014 archives interns will mainly focus on digitization projects and maintenance of the NYCLU’s permanent onsite collections, as well as assisting in the processing of records boxes, under the supervision of the Archives & Records Manager.

Summary of Position:
The NYCLU is about 2 years into its archives and records management program, the initial phase of which involves processing a backlog of material housed in offsite storage. Material with historic value will be transferred to a university archive, where NYCLU records will be open to researchers for the first time in its 60 year history. As we near the end of processing this backlog, we have appraised certain material to have high historic value that we like to maintain copies of onsite.

We are looking for interns to help with this phase of the project. This will involve digitization, cataloging and general maintenance of the NYLCU’s permanent onsite collections. Interns will gain hands on experience digitizing, weeding, arranging, appraising, cataloging and general processing of archival material. Additionally, interns will be exposed to the recently implemented records management program and will be asked to occasionally assist with record management tasks. The internship is unpaid, but may be taken for course credit.

Position Responsibilities:
 Assists with appraisal of records for possible digitization.
 Digitizes material for our Electronic Document Archive and helps to organize and maintain our permanent onsite collections.
 Assists the Archives & Records Manager in weeding and arranging archival material.
 Catalogs records boxes and inputs folder level metadata into an archival management database.
 Assigns disposition instructions and dates to records boxes by referring to the NYCLU Records Retention Schedule.
 Contributes at least one entry to all-staff “Archives Update” postings, designed to pique staff interest and keep the organization updated as to the progress of the project.
 Assists with other day to day tasks as needed.

Qualifications:
 Must be currently enrolled in an MLS/MLIS program, or other graduate program in an archives related field.
 Must be able to commit to at least 100 total hours or average 1 day per week, 10:30-5:30, (Monday-Friday) for about 14 weeks. Candidates who are able to exceed this minimum requirement will be given priority. 
 Successful applicants should have an interest in archives and records management centers in non-traditional library settings.
 Some knowledge of legal documents and/or records management is a plus.
 Able to commute to the NYCLU’s main office in lower Manhattan or occasionally a records storage facility in Brooklyn if necessary, and be able to lift heavy records boxes.

Applicants should email their cover letter and resume to jobs@nyclu.org with “Archival Internship” in the subject heading. Applications will be reviewed until the positions are filled.

The NYCLU is proud to be an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.