Internship: Archives and Special Collections Practicum, Summer 2026 – Oral History Transcriptions
About The Position
Oral history plays a vital role within the Historic New Orleans Collection, focusing on the collection, preservation, and dissemination of oral histories that document the diverse experiences of our community. The Historic New Orleans Collection has a robust collection of oral histories from interview subjects ranging from Katrina First Responders to Vietnamese immigrants, and many more. While current transcription software is good and ever improving, it is still the case that oral histories often present unique challenges to machine transcription. HNOC strives to review every oral history transcription and make corrections in order to improve the accuracy and accessibility of the documents before making them available to researchers in the online catalog. Under the direction of collections professionals at the Williams Research Center, the intern will gain an appreciation for the complexities of human experience as captured through first-hand accounts; while also learning about ethical considerations in preserving and presenting oral histories.
Requirements
- Eligible applicants are undergraduate students of rising junior or senior classification, currently enrolled in a four-year university located in the state of Louisiana.
- Students pursuing a degree in Social Science or Humanities fields are encouraged to apply.
- Regular attendance is required. Interns are expected to complete a minimum of 22 hours of engagement per week at the Williams Research Center.
- Within the six-week duration of this program, the intern will complete a minimum of 100-hours of engagement, not to exceed a total of 125-hours.
- Interns should exhibit professional behavior, including punctuality, respect for the organization’s staff and patrons, and adherence to library policies.
Nice To Haves
- Experience in scholarly research, collections of management, and/or editing is welcomed but not required.
Responsibilities
- Engage in training sessions and workshops related to archival practices, preservation techniques, and information management.
- Review existing oral history transcript documents and enter corrections directly into the document for accuracy and consistency.
- Analyze and interpret the complexities of human experience as documented through oral histories.
- Evaluate ethical considerations involved in the preservation and presentation of personal narratives.
- Critically assess the limitations of current transcription methodologies and their impact on accessibility.
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What This Job Offers
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
No Education Listed
Number of Employees
101-250 employees
