Projects for Advanced Field Experiences
There is no one “type” of project; projects should reflect the needs of the sites, the interests of the student(s), and relate to the SLIS curriculum.
Project Requirements:
- All students should be supervised by a professional while on site
- Supervisors cannot be volunteers
- All work done by students must be professional in nature
- No menial, sub-, or para-professional work is appropriate (e.g., getting coffee)
- Compensation is not required but not prohibited.
- All projects are subject to approval by the SLIS Field Experience Manager.
Here are some examples of past advanced field experiences:
- Local History outreach intern at a public library
- Knowledge Management intern at a consulting firm
- Museum archive intern at a museum for contemporary culture
- Reference internship at a university art library
- Cataloging and outreach internship at a college music library
- Archives intern for a professional sports’ team
- Website design intern for a large city public school system
- Digital scholarship intern at a medical school
- Rare books and special collections intern at a religious history association
- Cataloging intern at a regional genealogical society
- Technical services intern at a university library
- e-Learning systems intern at an EdTech company
- Collections intern at a children’s museum
Project Deliverables
Students are asked to provide some evidence of their field experience when they submit their final reflection at the end of each semester. Deliverables, or final products, vary by site and project. Past submissions have included, but are not limited to: a link to a digital finding aid; an online exhibit; a portfolio of outreach initiatives, etc. If you or your student(s) have a question about the deliverable, please ask them to consult their course instructor for more guidance.
Grading
The field experience is worth 50% of a student’s grade for LIS 512. This grade is based on their contract, midpoint report, and final reflection with deliverables, as well as your supervisor evaluations.