About this position
Archives Intern – Louis Stokes Congressional Collection
Location: Western Reserve Historical Society
Dates: May – August 2026
Commitment: 10–15 hours/week (flexible)
Position Summary
The Archives Intern will assist with the processing and intellectual organization of the Louis Stokes Congressional Papers, a 780-box collection currently in active arrangement. This internship is ideal for a student interested in political history, archival processing, and developing expertise in stewardship of special collections material. Interns will gain hands-on experience in archival theory and practice, proper handling and assessment of archival material, contribute to public-facing deliverables, and receive mentorship in career development and professional workflows.
Responsibilities
• Assist with arrangement and description of multiple series within the Louis Stokes collection
• In consultation with Archivist, appraise and rearrange materials, ensuring basic preservation standards are met
• In consultation with Archivist, identify materials for future digitization, exhibits, or researcher access
• Create folder-level inventories and assist in collection-level intellectual control
• Attend regular check-ins and contribute to team documentation
Preferred Qualifications
• Eligible interns are either an undergraduate or graduate student, or recent graduate; preference is given to MLIS graduate students who are interested in gaining experience in collection management, manuscript archival processing
• Coursework in history, archives, public history, or related fields
• Strong attention to detail and interest in Black political history
• Ability to work independently and ask thoughtful questions
• Experience with Excel and basic file naming conventions
• Acts with kindness, curiosity, and respect for others
Supervision and Training
The intern will be supervised by Dr. Ina Cox, Lead Processing Archivist for the Stokes Collection. Training in archival standards, project workflow, and digital tools will be provided.
To Apply
Please send a resume, application form, and brief cover letter outlining your interest in archival work or political history to jdukes@wrhs.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until filled.
