Graduate Archival Processing Intern

POSTING DATE: June 26, 2026

DEADLINE DATE:
July 14, 2026

HOURS: This is a part‑time, temporary position from approximately September 14, 2026 to December 20, 2026. A part‑time intern must be available to work 15 hours per week. This position offers a flexible work schedule, coordinated with the intern’s school schedule and operational needs. Preferred working hours are 5 hour shifts between 9‑4 M‑F.

APPLICATIONS MUST INCLUDE: PDF copy of unofficial transcript

DESCRIPTION: The Archival Processing Intern will gain hands‑on, practical experience in the arrangement, description, and preservation of physical and/or digital archival collections. Under the close mentorship of professional staff, the intern will focus heavily on creating structured, standard‑compliant finding aids within Archives Space. MNHS is currently migrating its EAD finding aids into the ASpace database and needs help ingesting the legacy PDF, Word, and paper‑based finding aids into ASpace.

Description & Finding Aid Creation (80%):

• Archives Space Data Entry:
  Learn and utilize the backend interface of Archives Space to create collection‑level resource records, component lists (series and folders), and accession records
• Apply Descriptive Standards:
  Draft finding aids that comply with Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) and utilize Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) for controlled vocabularies
• Legacy Data Remediation:
  Assist in updating or converting older, legacy finding aids (from PDFs or word documents) into clean, structured Archives Space records.

Physical Arrangement & Preservation (10%):

• Review unorganized or semi‑organized materials to establish intellectual and physical order (sorting, boxing, and foldering)
• Perform basic preservation tasks, such as removing damaging fasteners (rusted staples, rubber bands) and housing fragile items in acid‑free materials
• Create container lists and inventories to map physical locations to the digital finding aid.

• Participate in departmental meetings to understand larger institutional workflows, collection policies, and donor relations
• Complete a final processing project or presentation highlighting the completed collection and its historical significance.

• Currently enrolled as a graduate student, or have graduated within the past 12 months at the time of application.
• Ideal candidates might be currently pursuing, or a graduate with a degree in the following areas: ALA‑accredited Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS / MLS) program, or a Master’s in History with an Archival Studies concentration.
• Prior Coursework:
  Successful completion of foundational coursework in archival theory, arrangement, and description (highly preferred).
• Technical Familiarity:
  Prior exposure to, or a strong willingness to learn, Archives Space and XML‑based schema (like EAD).
• Ability to summarize texts through writing
• Ability to work well independently and in a team setting
• Detail‑oriented and ability to ask for help/clarity when needed
• Excellent communication skills
• Proactively motivated to share ideas and think outside the box
• Experience with Google Suite and Archives Space

By the conclusion of this internship, the intern will have developed professional competencies that directly translate to careers in archives, academic libraries, and cultural heritage institutions:

• Archives Space Proficiency:
  Deep, practical familiarity with the leading archival collection management system, including how to navigate the backend to generate resource records, input notes, link digital objects, and manage hierarchies.
• Applied Descriptive Standards:
  The ability to confidently interpret and apply national standards—specifically DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard) and LCSH (Library of Congress Subject Headings)—to real‑world historical materials.
• Archival Logic & Curation:
  Practical experience applying the principles of original order and provenance to unstructured materials, and learning how to make appraisal decisions.
• Data Literacy & Preservation:
  An understanding of how physical preservation needs intersect…