Special Collections Archival Intern

Vanderbilt University • Nashville, TN

7h • Onsite

About The Position

Vanderbilt Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) is seeking an intern to help process and describe the complete collections of cartoonists Tom Little and Charles Bissell, whose work appeared in The Tennessean from the 1930s-1970s. These collections, housed in hundreds of oversized flat boxes, offer a daily glimpse into four decades of local, regional, and national politics. The intern will examine each cartoon, enter appropriate metadata into a spreadsheet, conduct research, and perform light preservation work. The goal is to process a cartoon every 5 minutes to make these currently under-described collections accessible, thereby enhancing their educational and research value. This internship provides hands-on archival experience in an academic library environment and is funded by the TN250 program.

Requirements

• Undergraduate or graduate students currently enrolled in or recently graduated from a relevant degree program
• Strong attention to detail and organization with a willingness to learn
• Ability to lift 30–40-pound boxes
• Excellent time management skills are a must

Responsibilities

• Examine items and enter all appropriate metadata into a spreadsheet
• Conduct research with designated databases when needed
• Request materials through our request management system
• Folder, label and re-box items as needed
• Separate items with tissue paper to help preservation
• Attend meetings and take notes when needed
• Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor

Benefits

• Hands-on archival experience
• Mentorship and professional development
• Potential academic credit (if applicable)

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees