Creating undergraduate internships for non-LIS students in academic libraries

Abstract

This paper provides a framework for creating undergraduate internships in academic libraries, specifically those offered in collaboration with subject-based academic departments at universities where no degrees in library science are offered. Very little of the scholarly literature addresses this type of internship in particular, and broadly applicable elements of planning and implementation have not been clearly articulated in the literature. This paper proposes that there are several basic elements to consider regardless of situation-specific conditions. These include incentives and compensation for the intern, structure of the internship, projects, and documentation. Each element is considered and described, using internships hosted at the Murray Library of the University of Saskatchewan as examples.