Job Opening Title: Veterans Oral History Program Archival Processing Intern
Institution/Organization Name: State Archives of North Carolina
Job Location (City, State, Province, Country): Raleigh, NC
Application Deadline: April 17, 2015
Years of experience required: 0-1
Project Description: The Military Collection of the State Archives of North Carolina, located in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, is seeking one to two interns who will assist with the Veterans Oral History Program processing project. The project will include reprocessing all of the audiovisual recordings (both physical and digital) and corresponding paperwork created as part of the Veterans Oral History Program from 1996 to 2014. The oral history program constitutes over 1,060 oral history recordings in multiple formats, and will continue adding oral history interviews in the future. The project’s goal is to individually number the recordings (physical and digital); inventory all recordings; rehouse all oral history interview materials; check accession and permission forms; manage interview accessions and proposed deaccessions; and assist the Digital Services Section in transferring hard copy recordings to digital formats. This is an on-going project which will use multiple interns to complete. This is an on-going processing project to begin in February 2015, with an anticipated intern start date for the project to begin between May 18, 2015-June 22, 2015. Internships are unpaid.
The project will involve working with issues of copyright and ownership of donated materials for an archives; verifying recording quality and performing basic audio sound enhancements; transferring audio recordings to digital formats; creation of metadata; writing historical biographies of interviewers; digital curation; and physical management of a large oral history program. The intern may also assist in conducting oral history interviews and take part in training volunteers at oral history interview training workshops around the state. Intern(s) will gain experience describing oral histories using Encoded Archival Description (EAD) and Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS), and will assist the Military Collection Archivist cataloging oral history interviews in the State Archives’ new catalog system APPX AXAEM.
The project will move quickly in order to balance the responsibilities of the Military Collection with other on-going projects, and is expected to be completed by June 2017. The intern(s) will be required to work between a minimum of 8-16 hours per week in the Military Collection Archivist’s office. A minimum internship length for this project is 3 months, with a maximum internship length of 1 year for a single intern.
The intern(s) will be based in the Military Collection Archivist office in the State Archives of North Carolina, within the Special Collections Section. Archival storage and handling materials, up-to-date computers, scanners, audio-editing software, and general office equipment will be provided by the Military Collection Archivist. Archival processing training and supervision will also be provided. Training in oral history practice, recording standards, transcription methods, and rights management will also be provided by the Military Collection Archivist.
Required Education, Skills, and Qualifications: The ideal candidate(s) will be pursuing a graduate degree in public history, library science, digital curation or preservation, or archival studies. Preference will be given to first or second-year graduate students. Experience or entry-level education in archival theory and practice is required. The project requires someone with an undergraduate degree with classwork in world and American history, preferably a history degree or some experience with oral histories.
This internship will serve as a professional development opportunity for a first or second-year graduate student in public history, library science, digital preservation, or archival studies. Interns wishing to use the internship for graduate credit can work with the State Archives to coordinate this with their graduate program.
The project requires someone capable of making quick decisions, working independently and under direct supervision, following specific departmental work standards (i.e. archival processing steps), and who can maintain confidentiality (as some of the records contain restricted service records of military veterans). The project requires someone with advanced computer skills. Experience with various audio formats and/or digital audio editing is preferred. The intern(s) will be required to have their own mode of transportation, and maintain a regular schedule (which can be negotiated around the intern’s academic schedule) with the Military Collection Archivist.
How to apply: Please send (in a Word document or PDF document) a cover letter (2 pages max.) discussing the reason for your interest in this internship and your experience related to the project qualifications; a short resume (4 pages max.), and contact information for three references to:
Matthew M. Peek, Military Collection Archivist
State Archives of North Carolina
Email: matthew.peek(at)ncdcr.gov (please title email subject as “Oral History Internship App”)
Phone: (919) 807-7314
Only applications sent by email will be reviewed for this position.
Applications will be accepted from March 23, 2015, through April 17, 2015, with review of applications beginning on a rolling basis starting March 23, 2015. Applicants will be notified whether they have been received the internship or not by 6 P.M. on April 29, 2015. Start dates and work days will be negotiated with the Military Collection Archivist.
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