USF Libraries Internships

USF Libraries Internship Opportunities – Spring 2027

The USF Libraries are happy to announce internship opportunities for Spring 2027! These internships give students hands-on experience working in a library or archive.

Eligibility: Applicants must be currently enrolled in an internship, fieldwork, or directed study course at the graduate or undergraduate level at the University of South Florida.

Application Deadline: November 2, 2026

Questions? Please contact Associate Dean, Kaya van Beynen, at kayatown@usf.edu

 

Available Internships

  • Library Department: Special Collections
  • Supervisor(s): Alexandra Vargas-Minor
  • Paid Internship? Yes, $16 per hour
  • Semester(s) Available: Spring 2027
Project Description:

The Weekly Challenger is a newspaper documenting the history of St. Petersburg’s African American community from 1967 to the present day. The Nelson Poynter Memorial Library’s Special Collections & University Archives (SCUA) houses the paper’s physical collection of newspapers, photographs, and ephemera, as well as its digital archive on Digital Commons.

This internship aims to increase the visibility of the physical collection. The main goals are to:

  • Process the unprocessed photographs and ephemera in the collection
  • Rehouse materials into archival containers
  • Create an updated finding aid for the full physical collection in ArchivesSpace
Anticipated Outcomes/Benefits:
  • Gain hands-on experience working with archival collections in a variety of formats
  • Learn standards and best practices for archival description and the preservation of cultural heritage materials
  • Learn to use archival information management software (ArchivesSpace) to create finding aids and record collection information
  • Become immersed in the day-to-day operations of a university archive
Other Requirements:

We are seeking a candidate with strong attention to detail and time management skills. This internship is best suited to an upper-level undergraduate or graduate student interested in the humanities and/or cultural heritage work.

  • Library Department: Research & Instruction
  • Supervisor(s): Theresa Burress
  • Paid Internship? Yes, $16 per hour, 8 hours per week
  • Semester(s) Available: Spring 2027
  • Number of Openings: 1 student
Project Description:

The USF St. Petersburg campus has implemented a range of sustainability-focused projects funded by student initiatives over the past several years. Developing an archive that brings together (1) relevant datasets and (2) Associated archives and documentation is essential for assessing the outcomes of these initiatives. However, much of this data is not readily available despite a strong desire to make it openly accessible for integration into USF curricular and research activities across a range of disciplines.

Undergraduate students expressing interest in (1) Digital collections and archiving, or (2) Data collection, will engage in an experiential learning internship designed to develop digital collections relevant to USF St. Petersburg’s distinctive campus priorities.

Interns will develop skills and understanding necessary to successfully identify, compile, organize, and describe datasets and/or digital collections. Interns may choose to focus on developing digital collections comprised of (1) Student and other university publications, and (2) USF St. Petersburg digital archives such as student newspaper articles, or they may choose to focus on (3) Creation of baseline datasets relevant to local St. Petersburg campus initiatives (e.g., composting initiative, Rec Center bike datasets, SGEF archives, etc.).

Anticipated Outcomes/Benefits:

Upon completion of the fieldwork, the student will be able to:

  • Differentiate between archival and non-archival information and datasets for long-term preservation
  • Apply best practices for organizing and describing sustainability-related datasets and archives
  • Create finding aids, exhibits, or other descriptive metadata that make datasets accessible and discoverable to the university community
Special Skill Sets:
  • Some knowledge of USF St. Petersburg campus sustainability initiatives and/or involvement with student organizations is helpful
  • Familiarity with Excel spreadsheets is preferred

  • Library Department: Special Collections
  • Supervisor(s): Rachel Bomberger
  • Paid Internship? Yes, $16 per hour
  • Semester(s) Available: Spring 2027
Project Description:

The intern will inventory and assess the physical condition of the USF Libraries Tampa microfilm collections to determine whether items should be digitized or purchased in another format. The collection, which shows varying levels of deterioration, includes scanned books, journals, and newspapers. The project also involves finding grants that support the conservation or replacement of deteriorating items.

Anticipated Outcomes/Benefits:

Students will:

  • Develop collections management skills
  • Gain an understanding of Section 108 of the Copyright Act, specifically the rights of institutions to copy deteriorating items in their collections
  • Acquire basic conservation skills
  • Learn how to search for grants
Other Requirements:

The intern will be provided with access to a computer station inside the Tampa campus Library where they will work on this project.

Additional Information:

  • Interns will be asked to give a short virtual presentation at the end of the semester
  • Interns must register for an internship course