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2024 Spring Library and Archives Intern

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

Bentonville, AR, USA
Posted 6+ months ago

The mission of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is to welcome all to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature. Founded by philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton, Crystal Bridges is a public non-profit charitable organization.

Job Description:

Position Title: 2024 Spring Library and Archives Intern

Position Type: Paid Intern

Division: Library and Archives

Department: Learning and Engagement

Museum Overview

Crystal Bridges is a museum of American art located in Bentonville, Arkansas. We explore the unfolding story of America by actively collecting, exhibiting, interpreting, and preserving outstanding works that illuminate the American heritage and artistic possibilities.

We are passionate about transforming lives through experiences that encourage the discovery of new ideas, expanded dreams, and inspired actions.

As an intern at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, you will be empowered to think creatively, ask questions, and make suggestions to help move the institution forward.

Position Summary

The Library & Archives intern assists the Library & Archives team, who work in collaboration with curatorial, art management, and the learning and engagement departments to facilitate research, scholarship, education, and exhibition support.

This internship provides a unique opportunity to build experience in a museum library and archives setting. The library and archives department acquires materials to support and interpret the art collection at Crystal Bridges Museum. Contributions will revolve around key strategies of preservation, access, and interpretation.

The ideal candidate is passionate about art history, archival studies, and librarianship. Applicants should be willing to problem solve, take initiative, acquire knowledge, promote access, and collaborate effectively.

Areas of Support

The Library & Archives Intern will actively participate and perform duties in some of the following functional areas:

  • Library Cataloging
    • Assist the librarian in cataloging duties as needed. Catalog new books for the collection by creating records within the integrated library system.
  • Archival Processing
    • Assist the archivist in processing duties for unprocessed collections as needed. Process physical materials to assess and define provenance, preservation, appraisal, and retention.
    • Assist in the creation of digital records for the archival database.
  • Meeting attendance
    • Attend project meetings to collaborate with various departments related to exhibition support, public programming, and daily operations and development
  • Public programming
    • Assist with gallery talks, blog posts, and programs that support art education and volunteer services
  • Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

  • Library Information Studies or Library Science student preferred; can include (but is not limited to) majors/minors such as Archival Studies, Art History Studies, English, Cultural Anthropology, History, and Sociology.
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Dependable and punctual
  • Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite is required, and familiarity with library and Web-based search tools is strongly preferred.
  • A background check is required.
  • Must maintain confidentiality of all non-public Museum information.
  • Possible course credit can be negotiated with the University departmental supervisor.

Timeline

  • Applications due November 10, 2023
  • Intern selected by December 1st, 2023
  • Anticipated Start Date: January 22, 2024

Schedule:

  • Monday, January 22, 2024 thru Friday, April 26, 2024
  • Weeks: Duration of approximately 14 weeks
  • Hours:
    • Undergraduate Intern up to 20 hours per week
    • Graduate Intern up to 25 hours per week
  • Weekly schedule to be arranged with direct supervisor

Required Documents:

  • Letter of Interest
    • Why are you interested in this internship opportunity and how will this internship assist you?
  • Resume
    • If you do not have any previous work history, please mention any work, volunteering, or extracurricular activities you have performed or participated in.
  • Letter of Recommendation
    • At least one letter of recommendation; please submit a maximum of two.

Compensation

Undergraduate Interns: $13.00 an hour

Graduate Interns: $14.00 an hour

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an intern to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  • Physical demands: In the work environment described below, position requires work at a desk, utilizing a computer and a telephone for prolonged periods of time, good eye/hand coordination, bending and stretching for filing, and physical stamina to lift a minimum of 25 pounds to a height of at least three feet for file and materials storage as appropriate for the demands of the office. Visual acuity to review written materials is required for this job.
  • Work environment: Work will be performed in an office environment and museum spaces. The noise level in the museum work environment is usually low to moderate.
  • If the intern’s personal equipment is used, the museum accepts no liability for any damage caused to said equipment while being used for museum purposes, nor loss or corruption of electronic files on devices.

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and background check. Crystal Bridges requires all employees to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment, or meet Arkansas state requirements, subject to accommodations. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States on your first day of work.

Crystal Bridges is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.