National Anthropological Archives and Human Studies Film Archives

Internships and Volunteer Opportunities
in the National Anthropological Archives

Internships

The National Anthropological Archives offers paid and unpaid internships for graduate and undergraduate students interested in exploring a career in archives or anthropology. Intern projects are carried out under the direct supervision of a professional anthropologist, archivist or imaging specialist. Intern projects vary depending on the background and experience of the student. The following internships are available:

1. COLLECTIONS PROCESSING

Under the supervision of the Processing Archivist, the intern will preserve, arrange, and describe a collection. Depending on the length of the internship, the intern will also have the opportunity to update existing finding aids and assist in accessioning new collections. The intern must be enrolled in a graduate program in archives administration, library and information studies, or a related field. The intern must have also taken a graduate level introductory archives course. This is an unpaid internship. For additional information, please contact Lorain Wang (wangl@si.edu).

2. DIGITAL IMAGING: CREATION AND ASSET MANAGEMENT

Under the supervision our the Digital Imaging Manger, the intern will gain hands-on experience in the technical aspects of digital image creation (flatbed scanning and overhead digital camera capture) while learning about imaging standards, image data and its preservation and storage, technical and embedded metadata, digital asset management, and project management. Specific tasks include scanning with flatbed and /or digital camera capture; copying files to an external server for backup using Tivoli Storage Manager; maintaining records of imaging projects in the archives' databases; and shelving collections. The imaging intern will assist in a variety of projects that make digital images accessible through SIRIS, the Smithsonian's online catalog and the world wide web. For additional information, please contact Stephanie Ogeneski Christensen (ogeneskis@si.edu).

3. JORGE PRELORAN ETHNOBIOGRAPHY FILM COLLECTION AND PAPERS, 1955-1995  
 
The Human Studies Film Archives (HSFA), Smithsonian Institution, is offering
a paid internship for arranging and preserving the paper records of Jorge Preloran, an Argentine ethnographic filmmaker. The HSFA is the only moving image archives specifically devoted to preserving, documenting, and providing access to anthropological moving images and related documentation. The archives promotes the importance of moving image materials as an integral part of the anthropological record.  The intern will assist the processing archivist.   

The paper records for the Jorge Preloran collection comprise approximately 18 linear feet and include: original correspondence with anthropologists, filmmakers, and subjects of the films; production files and publicity materials; and a clipping file of articles relating to the edited films.  At least one half of the papers are in Spanish.  The intern will gain hands-on experience by arranging the records into appropriate series, re-housing the records, and undertaking other preservation measures.  The intern will also assist in preparing the portion of the finding aid that relates to the paper records.  This finding aid will be attached to the collection records in SIRIS.

Jorge Preloran is a cultural icon in Argentina and recently donated his oeuvre to the HSFA. The collection includes 46 documentaries on ethnographic topics in Latin America and the U.S., eleven of which focus on their protagonists' life-stories.  For more information see HSFA’s website’s most recent What’s New:  http://www.nmnh.si.edu/naa/whatsnew.htm

Requirements: Enrollment in a graduate program in archives administration, library and information science, or a related field.  Intern must have taken a graduate level introductory archives course.  Reading fluency in Spanish is necessary and graduate or undergraduate coursework in Latin American studies is preferred.

All work will be conducted at the Human Studies Film Archives, Smithsonian Institution Museum Support Center (MSC), MRC 534, 4210 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, MD 20746.  Time commitment is for 12 weeks, 4 days per week, 6 hours per day with some flexibility.

Stipend is $300 per week for 24 hours per week with a maximum of $3,600 for 12 weeks.  Applicant should send a resume, two references with contact information, and a cover letter which outlines your past and present academic and non-academic experience relevant to the HSFA internship and to your career goals to:  Pamela Wintle, Senior Film Archivist, Human Studies Film Archives, Smithsonian Museum Support Center MRC 534, 4210 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, Maryland 20746 or email wintlep@si.edu or by fax (301) 238-2883.  For questions you can call (301) 238-1324 or email.

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers will assist the reference archivist in the reading room by greeting visitors, answering the phone, and scheduling research visits. Volunteers will also assist staff with the conversion of typewritten collection guides into electronic files. Required Skills: General ability and interest in working with researchers and visitors. Basic word processing. For additional information, please contact Robert Leopold (leopold@si.edu).

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