Archives Intern, Illinois Humanities, downtown Chicago

Internship (unpaid)

Time frame: 10-12 weeks (ending August 2026), 8-10 hours/week; hybrid position

Position Summary:
Illinois Humanities is seeking an Archive Intern to support the organization’s archival processing and digital asset management work during Summer 2026. The intern will work directly with Illinois Humanities’ Consulting Archivist on projects related to the organization’s physical and digital collections. This internship offers hands-on experience for students interested in archives, library science, cataloging, metadata, and digital asset management. Interns will gain practical experience with
archival standards, metadata creation, workflow tracking, and digital asset management systems while contributing to the preservation and accessibility of Illinois Humanities’ organizational history.

The internship, which will run approximately 10–12 weeks beginning in early June 2026 and ending in August 2026, requires a maximum of 8–10 hours per week. Hours will be flexible based on the intern’s availability. This position will be hybrid with one to two days per week in person at the Illinois Humanities archive in Chicago.

Essential Responsibilities:
• Assist with the physical processing of archival materials using DACS standards prior to digitization
• Support the creation and scoping of controlled vocabularies, including subject terms and XML metadata structures
• Track workflow and asset mapping for Illinois Humanities’ digital asset management (DAM) system
• Assist with cataloging, metadata entry, and organizational projects related to archival collections
• Provide additional project and administrative support related to archival and digital asset management work
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements:

Current undergraduate or graduate student in Library and Information Science, Archives, Museum Studies, Public History, or a related field preferred

• Interest in archives, metadata, cataloging, digital preservation, and/or digital asset management

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail Ability to work independently and collaboratively

• Research and analytical skills

• Computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office Suite; familiarity with metadata standards, XML, or archival databases is a plus but not required

• Experience with cataloging, archives, or digital collections coursework a plus, but not required

For more information and to apply: https://ilhumanities.org/work-with-us

Application deadline: June 30/2026

Illinois Humanities: www.ILhumanities.org