Alaska State Library Internship Project: Home

Petersburg

Location: Petersburg, Alaska

Library: Petersburg Public Library

Project Title: Applying the Principles of User Experience Design

Project Dates: July 8, 2019 thru August 31, 2019

Project Summary:The intern will use User Experience Design to improve the quality of the Petersburg Public Library user’s interactions and perceptions of the library as a whole and apply it to both the virtual and physical experience of the library.  Using the book Useful, Usable, Desirable: Applying the User Experience Design to your Library as a guide, the intern will review the physical library space, review service points, polices and customer service. The intern will also evaluate library signage and wayfinding, the library’s online presence and how users use the library. The intern will also create journey maps which holistically describe cores user experiences (i.e..: placing a hold, finding an item, using a public computer).

Anchorage

Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Library: Anchorage Public Library

Project Title: Library Marketing 101

Project Dates: June 3, 2019 thru July 28, 2018

Project Summary: During this project the intern will implement a marketing campaign for the Anchorage Public Library’s Summer Discovery program that will increase the rate of participant’s program completion and fight the traditional “dip” in library visits during the summer for all patrons. The intern will develop a Summer Discovery marketing plan, evaluate marketing activities and meet with local media representatives. The intern will produce a promotional video and a written report showing evaluation and metrics for Summer Discovery campaigns.  

Each internship position has specific qualifications that need to be met. For all positions, candidates must be:

• 18 years or older
• A U.S. citizen
• Have completed or are near completion of the MLIS degree
• Be able to meet the internship project start and end dates

All candidates will be required to: 

• Provide a current resume
• Provide a copy of unofficial transcripts
• Two letters of recommendation; one must be an academic recommendation
• Provide a one page cover letter explaining why you are applying for an internship, what you hope to learn from the experience and how this experience fits into your future professional plans

Everything in the above list, except the letters of recommendations, may be sent in one email to Julie.niederhauser@alaska.gov 

Instructions on how to send your letters of recommendation are found under Note to recommendation writers. 

In the email subject line, enter: Internship application for [your name].

The Alaska State Library Internship Project will bring two interns who have recently or are near completion of their Master's degree in Library or Information Science to work in an Alaskan public library for two months in the summer of 2019. The goal of the project is to provide assistance to public libraries in Alaska who lack staff expertise to sustain long-term projects that would benefit their libraries and communities. Additionally the project will provide internship and professional development opportunities for MLIS students and lead to an increase in the number of MLIS students applying for jobs in Alaska.

Alaska State Library staff will:

• Evaluate and select projects proposed by the twenty largest public libraries 
• Solicit and select interns who have completed or are near completion of their Master's degree
• Provide funds for intern travel costs and a weekly stipend 
• Serve as the primary supervisor of the interns during their assignments

Selected public libraries will:

• Design a meaningful and feasible project in which the intern will use his/her professional training to reach project outcomes
• Provide any necessary supplies or equipment for the project
• Provide housing for the intern for eight weeks
• Cooperate with the State Library's Public Library Coordinator on training, supervising and evaluating the intern
• Be willing to assist the Public Library Coordinator in evaluating the internship pilot project as a whole