Internships
Experience, Experience, and More Experience
Posted April 10, 2012 by dunhame
Internships are very important to the Simmons GSLIS experience. Many programs have internship requirements built into their curriculums. The Archives Management concentration, which is the only one I can speak to with any kind of authority, features a 60-hour internship at the beginning of the program and a 130-140-hour field experience at the very end of the program. The first allows students essentially to get their feet wet before delving into coursework, and the second serves as an opportunity to apply everything learned in the program in a culminating, final experience. Especially because level/amount of experience is one of the most important elements potential employers consider when looking to hire new archivists, I really appreciate having the opportunity to gain hands-on experience as a part of the curriculum.
Nearing the End
Posted April 8, 2012 by Danielle Geller
Ive really been enjoying reading the thoughts of my cohorts regarding their paths through the GSLIS program at Simmons and their future career goals. Elise talked about dropping the MA in History aspect of her degree, but I think Ill continue to pursue it. It means Ill still be in the program come the Fall of 2014, but in the end I think it will be worth it. I have a summer internship lined up with the Smithsonians National Museum of the American Indians Cultural Resources Center (pardon the long string of proper nouns) that Im really excited about. I also hope, within the history program, to focus my studies on Native American historybut up to and including contemporary issues like repatriation, energy, and access to education and information. On the other hand, I still have a month of spring semester classes to finish, and I really need to remind myself of that. Im really excited for the summer, but I have a lot to do first.
The Processing Plan
Posted February 25, 2012 by Danielle Geller
Open access and fair use and two issues concerning archives and archival materials is an issue that has recurred in my work and research time and again. Ideally, I believe that information should be freely available for students, researchers, and the average citizen to access and use, but the reality is often much different. Barrierswhether in terms of economics, time, or organizationrear their ugly heads from all angles. This week, Ive been working on processing plans for two separate collections (one for a class and one for an internship), and access has been at the back of my mind for each project. Archivists are the gatekeepers, not just in the sense that we are safeguarding materials, but that we are also responsible for guiding people to materials relevant to their need. In laying out the foundations for a finding aid, our ultimate search tool, how do I ensure that I am doing my job effectively?
The Internship Hunt
Posted February 11, 2012 by Danielle Geller
One fantastic aspect of the GSLIS program at Simmons College is the internship provision: over the course of your graduate career, Simmons helps to place you with two archival internships. I have an interview scheduled with the Cambridge Historical Society next week to discuss the possibility of me working on one of their cataloguing projects, which Im looking forward to! However, my internship hunt hasnt ended there. While I have the option to take classes over the summer, Ive been looking into a lot of really exciting internship possibilities at places like the Cultural Resources Center of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian AND (this is exciting on an entirely different level) with the Digital Media Assets team at Blizzard Entertainment. In the application process, I decided to head over to the Career Education Center at Simmons for help with my resume and cover letters.