Dumbarton House, a Federal period historic house Museum in Georgetown, seeks an Archivist/Librarian Intern to work with the rare book and manuscript collection during the fall 2011.
Dumbarton House, headquarters of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America, offers visitors an opportunity to enhance their appreciation of early American history. Dumbarton House strives to inform and educate the public, about life in Washington during the early days of the Republic (circa 1800) and about Federal Period decorative arts and architecture.
Dumbarton House’s collection of decorative and fine art consists primarily, but not exclusively, of objects dating from the Federal period of U.S. history (approximately 1790-1830). The Dumbarton House manuscript and book collection includes an original copy of the Articles of Confederation, as well as papers, journals, account books, ledgers and letters documenting nearly 300 years of Nourse family life. In addition to our permanent exhibition, we also offer a series of temporary exhibits that feature topics relevant to the museum. The Archivist/Library Intern works directly with and reports to the Museum Curator.
The fall 2011 intern will work closely with the rare book and manuscript collection, re-housing, conditioning, numbering, scanning, and assisting with accessioning the over 1000 pieces in the manuscript collection as well as the nearly 150 rare books.
Working with the Museum Curator and the Collections Assistant, the intern will be responsible for ensuring that the manuscript and book collection is stored, handled, and cared for according to museum standards. The Archivist/Library Intern will write a policy and procedures document outlining best practices in care, handling, and storage of the collection. In addition, the intern will prioritize the conservation needs of this specific collection. Finally, the intern will assist in moving this collection forward to become accessible online along with aiding in the process of making the museum’s research library of roughly 1,000 books accessible online.
The internship program is designed to provide practical, hands-on experience to students pursuing a graduate-level or PhD degree in Library Sciences, American History, Museum Studies, Material Culture Studies, or related field. Applicants with a recent degree, working toward a degree, and/or comparable work experience will be considered. Applicants must be able to work independently with minimal supervision, and be willing to assist with all aspects of working in a small, historic house museum.
Schedule
- Available 8-12 hours/week for a total of 150 hours over the course of the semester.
Responsibilities
The Archivist/Librarian Intern will:
- Propose, research, develop, and write procedures for the care of the rare book and manuscript collection
- Scan and condition report manuscript collection
- Re-house those pieces that are not currently housed properly
- Assess conservation needs of collection and create a priority list
- Catalogue, condition report, and accession Rare Book Collection
- Create online catalogue of current research library for public access
Requirements
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail;
- Excellent research and written and oral communication skills;
- Familiarity with proper terminology in field and a particular interest in the Federal period a plus;
- The ability to work both independently and as part of a team;
- Experience with MS Office applications (Word and Excel), knowledge of databases and office equipment;
- Experience with Past Perfect 4.0 and 5.0 a plus; and
- Strength, dexterity, and mobility to perform all duties.
Academic credit may be arranged in cooperation with a sponsoring college or university. A stipend may be available.
To Apply
- Send position-focused cover letter, resume or CV, and 2 professional/academic references to:Archivist/Librarian Intern c/o Education Director, 2715 Q Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20007-3071;education@dumbartonhouse.org; FAX: 202-337-0348.
- Qualified applicants will be contacted to schedule an interview. Please do not contact Dumbarton House to inquire about your application status.
For more information about the Museum and our programs, please visit www.DumbartonHouse.org
