Internship Program

About the Program

Criss Library offers internships for undergraduate and graduate students interested in gaining experience in either Research and Instruction Services (RIS) or Archives and Special Collections (ASC). RIS partners with faculty to bring information literacy into the classroom, helps library users find materials for research, and can help direct you towards subject specific resources. ASC collects, preserves, and makes available unique archival collections and rare books to the university community and public.

Internships and practicums are open to enrolled undergraduate and graduate students at UNO and other institutions. Past applicants have majored in library science, history, art and art history, communications, international relations, and more. Please look at the areas of focus below and feel free to reach out to ask about your specific major.

Internship slots are limited so that students will receive high-quality instruction and mentoring from library faculty and staff. We prefer students to complete the internship for credit, but we will consider exceptions. Internships must be at least 60 hours and may be completed in-person or remotely subject to availability.

Paid internships are available in both ASC and RIS for UNO students. Unpaid internships may be available for UNO students who are not selected for paid opportunities. Criss Library also offers unpaid internships for non-UNO students from graduate library science and public history programs who must complete an internship for their degree.

Submit an Application

Students will be asked to submit a cover letter, resume, and academic program internship requirements within the application.

Application Deadlines:

Summer: April 15

Fall: July 15

Spring: November 15

Application Acceptance

Applicants who submit an application will be notified with a decision within two weeks of the deadline. Faculty may contact applicants to discuss application materials; please note that an interview may be required. Applicants are welcome to contact ASC at unoasc@unomaha.edu or RIS at msoto-luna@unomaha.edu to ask about their application status.

Internship Elements

Learning Plan: The supervisor and the intern will complete a learning plan from the intern’s academic program, or one provided by Criss Library.

Orientation: This includes tours, policy and procedure review, and required readings.

Primary project(s): Applicants will select one area of focus within ASC or RIS. Examples of work and skills gained through each area of focus are listed below and are representative, though not exhaustive, of the tasks a student can expect.

Secondary project(s): The availability of these projects depends on library needs, staff capacity, and internship length.

Informational interviews: Students will arrange interviews with faculty and staff across Criss Library departments to learn about areas within the profession that differ from their primary project focus.

End-of-internship or practicum talk: Students will present virtually or in person on projects and skills learned to faculty/staff.

Exit meeting: Students will sit down to talk with their supervisor to assess their internship experience. The supervisor can also advise the student on language to use to describe their projects (for résumés, portfolios, etc.).

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Areas of Focus for RIS Internships

RIS offers internships in a variety of areas. Your supervisor will depend on the projects that faculty members are currently working on and your preferred area focus. Below are the potential areas of focus for RIS internships.

• Instruction
• Research Support
• Outreach/Marketing/Event Planning
• Assessment
• Collection Development

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Areas of Focus for ASC Internships

Digital Collections projects supervisor: April Griess, Digital Archivist

• Work related to digital accessibility and WCAG 2.1 AA standard such as transcription or closed caption creation
• Processing digital materials
• Collection care and maintenance related to digital projects
• JSTOR metadata entry and collection ingest as needed
• Limited opportunity for digitization of analog material

Outreach projects supervisor: Claire Du Laney, Outreach Archivist

*In-person preferred / limited remote availability

• Physical exhibits
• Instruction
• Social media programming
• Collections promotion and engagement

Processing projects supervisor: Lori Schwartz, Hagel and Technical Services Archivist

*In-person only

• Arrangement of a series or collection of paper-based materials<
• Description of a series or collection in ArchivesSpace using descriptive standards
• Description of artifacts in ArchivesSpace and housing / preservation
• Inventory and minimal arrangement and/or description of a collection

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High School internships

ASC offers limited internships and similar opportunities to high school students. To ask if ASC can accommodate a student, email the student’s name, school or organization, reason for interest, year in school, and scheduling needs to the address on this page.

Background Check and Housing

All non-UNO and on-site interns and practicum students offered a position will undergo a university background check and complete additional documentation as required by Human Resources.

Please be aware that Criss Library does not offer housing or relocation funds for students.

Accommodations

Criss Library welcomes discussions about accommodations necessary for a successful experience. Non-UNO students should disclose this when creating a learning plan with the supervisor (not in the application) so that they can discuss what accommodations may be viable and helpful for internship elements. UNO students will follow the official university accommodation process.

University of Nebraska at Omaha Non-Discrimination Statement

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity.