As an undergraduate student, there are several opportunities to help inform library services, resources, and programs, while receiving credit and getting paid for your time. Our internships are located throughout the Libraries, and across the Commonwealth. In these experiences, students can expect to learn about working in academic libraries and also do meaningful work that benefits both them and the University Libraries.
Bednar Internship Program
Established in 2000, this program was created through an endowment by Donald Hamer and Marie Bednar. These internships occur during the academic year or over the summer. Internship positions change on a yearly basis. In this experience, student interns use their disciplinary backgrounds to inform public facing work that benefits both internal and external library users. As an intern, the student has a supervisor that serves as a mentor and also helps connect them to relevant colleagues across the Libraries.
In addition to the home department, student interns also meet regularly with the cohort of other interns through a community of practice. This group reflects on their internship experiences, collaborates on group projects that support future interns, and get to know more about the University Libraries.For an idea of the work completed by our past interns, check out our 2023 Student Employee Showcase and look for students with the title of “Bednar Intern.”
Student applicants must be a junior or senior, and in good academic standing. For questions on this internship program, please contact Rebecca Waltz, Associate Dean for Learning and Engagement, rkm17@psu.edu.
Academic Year 2023-24 Bednar Internships
Curatorial Intern for Database of Notable Political Songs
The Curatorial Intern for the Database of Notable Political Songs provides support for the ongoing curation of the Database of Notable Political Songs (DNPS) and will work alongside the University Libraries Music Subject Specialist and the Political Science Subject Specialist. Job responsibilities include research and detailed data entry to provide important historical and social context for political and protest songs contained in the database. The database will be published on the University Libraries Open Publishing platform.
Open Publishing Program Intern
The Open Publishing Program Intern supports the Open Publishing program by providing web and document accessibility support for all publication types, but primarily journal publications. This intern also supports journal publications by communicating with editors, uploading content into the journal publishing platform OJS, and completing publishing tasks such as assigning DOIs, creating journal issues, and assisting with the production of all Open Publishing projects. This intern may also support Open Educational Resource publishing or other publishing projects as needed.
Collection Engagement Intern
The Collection Engagement Bednar Intern helps promote undergraduate student engagement with Abington Campus Library collections by assessing collection usage and student needs, developing promotional materials, performing outreach, giving input on selection, and creating and implementing other strategies to connect the student community on campus with resources in the library.
Open Educational Practices Internship
The Open Educational Practices Intern works with the Library Learning Services Department to support a program in which a cohort of Penn State faculty and student collaborators will develop open educational resources (OER) that better reflect our student diversity and include marginalized voices and experiences historically absent within disciplinary discourses and commercially produced textbooks. In addition to benefiting economically disadvantaged students by producing no-cost course materials, this program will encourage culturally responsive and inclusive pedagogy and will require faculty to add a social justice component to their syllabus in addition to developing course materials that reflect greater diversity. The intern will assist faculty with course materials creation, such as developing/adapting content and presenting that content in an appropriate open publishing tool. After these new course materials are deployed in the classroom, the intern will also assist with data collection and assessment of the program outcomes.
Bednar Internship in Conservation
This paid undergraduate internship, with a three-credit academic option, provides an overview of conservation principles, procedures, and practical experience in preservation and conservation treatment and techniques. Interns have the opportunity to apply their learned skills on a specialty-focused capstone project of their choosing. For more information, contact Bill Minter, Senior Book Conservator at the University Libraries’ Conservation Centre at wdm14@psu.edu.
Statistical Assistant
This internship involves collaborating with the statistical analysis team at the Data Learning Center to offer consultations on research design, statistical methodologies, and data interpretation. This intern will also actively engage in assisting with workshops and creating statistical resources for the Penn State Research Community. This hands-on internship offers an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world research projects, enhance analytical skills, and gain valuable experience interacting with library patrons.
Donor Relations Bednar Intern
Additional internship opportunities
Please contact the person listed with each of the opportunities below to learn more about these opportunities and any openings.
Sandra K. Stelts and Ronald L. Filippelli Undergraduate Internship in Special Collections
This intern supports the exhibition program in the Special Collections Library and gains curatorial experience by conducting research, retrieving materials, writing and designing labels and other exhibition texts, building mounts to exhibit materials safely, and managing the installation and de-installation of exhibitions. The intern also focuses on the principles and methods of conserving library and archival materials and will obtain hands-on experience in carrying out these principles under the direction the Senior Book Conservator. For more information, contact Clara Drummond, Curator and Exhibitions Coordinator in Special Collections, at cjd86@psu.edu.
The Robert and Carol Klaus Undergraduate Internship
in the William and Joan Schreyer Business Library
This paid (not for credit) undergraduate internship enables business students to participate in active and collaborative learning experiences. Students may serve as peer educators for Management 301, the heavily enrolled course that is an entrance to the major for all Smeal College of Business Students. Klaus interns may also help librarians promote the Business Library's events, collections, and services. For more information, contact Diane Zabel, Benzak Business Librarian and Head of the Schreyer Business Library at dxz2@psu.edu.
James E. Wright, Jr. and Helen K. Wright Memorial Endowment
in the Life Sciences Library
This paid (not for credit) undergraduate internship enables students to participate in active and collaborative learning experiences within the Life Sciences Library. Interns may help librarians promote the Library's events, collections, displays and services. This opportunity is located at the University Park Campus and all majors are invited to apply. For additional information, contact John Meier, Head of STEM for Engagement and Outreach, jjm38@psu.edu