Ask a Librarian Internship Program
Columbia University Libraries seeks applicants for the remote, part-time Ask A Librarian Internship. The Ask A Librarian Internship provides currently-enrolled Library & Information Science students with hands-on experience in academic librarianship. Interns will receive training and support from a librarian supervisor in order to assist users through the Ask A Librarian chat reference service. Additionally, interns will work in collaboration with their supervisor to conduct a project, such as designing and delivering a workshop session, creating topical research guides, or processing special collections. Interns will be assigned to a project based on their interests, experience, and project availability.
The Ask A Librarian Internship Program seeks to provide meaningful working experiences that relate to the goals and interests of the intern. BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Library & Information Science students are highly encouraged to apply.
The Ask A Librarian Internship is not accepting applications at this time. We expect to begin accepting applications for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters in mid-July 2024. Please check back for more information.
The internship will be conducted remotely. Interns residing in the New York City area will have the option to conduct project work at Columbia University’s Morningside Campus if desired.
$20-25/hour
The schedule is an average time commitment of 10-12 hours per week, but varies week to week. It includes nine hours of chat reference staffing during evenings and/or weekends, and up to 3 hours of working on a project. Anticipated evening and weekend chat reference hours include Monday-Friday 5pm to 8pm, and Saturday or Sunday 12pm to 6pm (Eastern Time). Please note that there is some flexibility in scheduling, and interns are encouraged to swap chat reference shifts with one another as needed.
- Provide research assistance to users via chat reference
- Refer users to appropriate Libraries departments or staff members
- Successfully complete a project as directed by a librarian supervisor
- Meet with supervisor once per week
Projects for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters will be listed here in July 2024.
- Must be currently enrolled in a Master of Library Science (MLS) or equivalent program in the United States and be a U.S. resident
- Demonstrated effective communication skills
- Ability to work evenings and/or weekends
- Coursework or experience in reference/research services
- Ability to evaluate, understand, refer, and respond to research questions
- Strong commitment to service
The Ask A Librarian Internship is not accepting applications at this time. We expect to begin accepting applications for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters in mid-July 2024. Please check back for more information.
Please contact the internship organizing team at AskALibrarianInternship@library.columbia.edu.