Name: Kate Mitchell

Education Background: I recently graduated from Rutgers University with my Master’s in Information Science with a concentration in archives and preservation. I also did my undergraduate degree at Rutgers, where I studied history and American studies. 

Previous Experience: After graduating college, I interned at the Zimmerli Art Museum, where I cataloged and processed the newly acquisitioned Jersey City Museum collection. This experience is what ultimately inspired me to go to library school and enter this field. Then, while in graduate school, I was a Library of Congress Junior Fellow, where I had the chance to create two online exhibitions for the American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB). In addition to learning a lot about public broadcasting and about the PBS NewsHour, working on these projects reified my interest in curation and public services. 

Most recently, during my last two semesters as a graduate student, I worked at the Institute of Jazz Studies at the Rutgers-Newark Library, where I created descriptive metadata and authority records for audio files, completed online reference requests, digitized materials for research access and for long-term preservation, and performed a number of other tasks necessary to the day-to-day functioning of an archive.

Why I like Archives/Professional Interests: While I was initially drawn to the field because of my love of history and of the bizarre objects that inevitably end up in special collections, my continued interest in archives stems from its power as an institution to influence our understanding of the past, present, and future. I hope that by entering this field I can help effect positive social change by pushing for a more inclusive perspective of history. 

Other interests: I love knitting and experimenting with other fiber arts techniques. I learned how to knit when I was in elementary school and picked it up again in college, where I made a lot of lumpy hats. Then, because of COVID-19 and the 2020 lockdown, I had a lot more time to practice and finally graduated to knitting sweaters.

Looking forward to working on the following project(s) while at Princeton: I’m most excited to start working on the redescription projects with the Inclusive Description Working Group! I’m also looking forward to working with patrons and getting more experience providing in-person reference services.

The Mudd Manuscript Library, a unit of Princeton University Library’s Department of Special Collections, offers the John Foster and Janet Avery Dulles Archival Fellowship for one graduate student (or recent graduate) each year. This fellowship provides a summer of work experience for those interested in pursuing an archival career. For more information about the Mudd Manuscript Library visit: https://library.princeton.edu/special-collections/mudd.

The 2022 Fellow will gain experience in both technical and public services, working under the guidance of archivists from both teams. Projects for 2022 may include: a research project on implementing reparative description, processing/reprocessing work on both analog and digital collections, and participation in the reference rotation. Previous Fellows and their work can be found on our website.

The Mudd Library stewards the Princeton University Archives and a collection of 20th-century public policy papers. The more than 35,000 linear feet of archival and manuscript material are widely used by local, national, and international researchers. More than 2,000 visitors use Mudd Library’s reading room each year, and its staff field some 3,000 electronic, mail, and telephone inquiries annually. A progressive processing program, the use of new technologies, and an emphasis on access and public service have ensured that Mudd Library’s collections are ever more accessible.

The 10- to 12-week fellowship, which may be started as early as May, provides a stipend of $1000 per week. In addition, costs related to attending a professionally-related, national conference will be covered. Details on travel and in-person attendance will depend on University guidance regarding current Covid-19 protocols.

Requirements: Successful completion of at least 12 graduate semester hours (or the equivalent) applied toward an advanced degree in archives, library or information management, American history, American studies, or museum studies. Applicants within one year of obtaining their graduate degree are also eligible to apply. Demonstrated interest in the archival profession; good organizational and communication skills; and a willingness and commitment to learn new tools/applications. Experience with processing and reference, as well as familiarity with ArchivesSpace, preferred. The Library highly encourages applicants who identify as a member of a group (or groups) underrepresented in the library and archives field. These include—but are not limited to—people of Hispanic or Latinx, Black or African-American, Asian, Middle Eastern, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, First Nations, American Indian, or Alaskan Native descent as well as people with disabilities, first generation college graduates, and/or those who identify as LGBTQIA+.

To apply: Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and two letters of recommendation to: mfellow@princeton.edu . Any questions about the application process or position can be sent to the same email. Applications must be received by Monday, March 7, 2022 at 11pm. Interviews will be conducted (via phone and/or video) with selected candidates and the successful candidate will be notified by April 8, 2022.

Please note: University housing will not be available to the successful candidate. Interested applicants should consider their housing options carefully and may wish to consult the Tiger ReTail, the online campus bulletin board or the Princeton University Off-campus Housing website for more information on this topic. 

Princeton University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer

Princeton University Library’s Department of Special Collections is excited to offer the Special Collections Summer Fellowship hosted at Firestone Library (previously the Archival Residency for Manuscripts Division Collections) again for 2022.

Princeton University Library’s Department of Special Collections is excited to offer the Special Collections Summer Fellowship hosted at Firestone Library (previously the Archival Residency for Manuscripts Division Collections) again this year.

The fellowship provides a summer of paid work experience for a current or recent graduate student interested in pursuing a career in Special Collections libraries or archives. 

Fellowship Description: The 2022 Fellow will gain experience in the fields of technical services, public services, and curatorial. Projects for 2022 may include: learning and implementing reparative description; processing/reprocessing of manuscript collections (including hybrid collections with born-digital and audiovisual materials); participation in the reference rotation and answering reference questions in person and remotely; working alongside curatorial staff to learn and implement contemporary collecting and stewardship practices, and conducting research on areas of scholarly inquiry and supporting curatorial projects as an integral part of an acquisitions team.

More information about the library and its holdings is available on the library website. 

This ten- to twelve-week residency program, which can begin as early as May, provides a weekly stipend of $1000 (subject to state/local/federal taxes). In addition, expenses for attending one North American-based conference of the fellow’s choosing (travel, registration fees, and hotel) will be covered by Princeton University Library.

Requirements: 

• Must be a current graduate student or recent graduate (within one year of graduation) of an advanced degree program in archive or library/information management, museum studies and public history, literature, American studies, history, and/or other humanistic discipline. 
• Must have past experience working in the archival and/or special collections profession (including positions held as part of volunteer programs, internships, work-study programs, contract/adjunct work, other fellowships, etc.) 
• Good organization and communication skills.
• Time management and project management skills (ability to manage multiple projects).

Foreign language skills (particularly Spanish-language reading skills) are preferred, but not essential.

The Library highly encourages applicants from under-represented communities to apply.

To apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, and two letters of recommendation addressed to the search committee at esarconi@princeton.edu with the subject line “[Applicant Last Name] 2022 Archival Fellowship.” Applications must be received by Tuesday, March 1st, 2022. Zoom interviews will be conducted with the top candidates at the end of March, and the successful candidate will be notified by April 15th.

Please note: University housing will not be available to the successful candidate. Interested applicants should consider their housing options carefully and may wish to consult the online campus bulletin board for more information on this topic.

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER.

Information about previous recipients can be found here.

Princeton University Library’s Department of Special Collections is excited to offer the Archival Residency for Manuscripts Division Collections again this year. The residency provides a summer of paid work experience for a current or recent graduate student interested in pursuing an archival career. 

Residency Description: The 2020 Resident will primarily gain experience in technical services, with a focus this year on arrangement and description of manuscript collections, including hybrid collections with born-digital and audiovisual materials. The Resident will also assist with in-person and/or remote reference and other public services related projects. The Fellow will work under the guidance of the team of processing staff responsible for collections within the Manuscripts Division, including the Lead Processing Archivist, Project Archivist for Americana Manuscripts Collections, Processing Archivist for General Collections, and the Latin American Processing Archivist, as well as the Reference Professional for Special Collections. 

The Manuscripts Division is located in Firestone Library, Princeton University’s main library, and holds over 14,000 linear feet of materials covering five thousand years of recorded history and all parts of the world, with collecting strengths in Western Europe, the Near East, the United States, and Latin America. The Resident will primarily work with the Division’s expansive literary collections, the papers of former Princeton faculty, and collections relating to the history of the United States during the 18th and 19th centuries. 

The ten- to twelve-week residency program, which can begin as early as May, provides a stipend of $950 per week. In addition, travel, registration, and hotel costs to the Society of American Archivists’ annual meeting in August will be covered by Princeton.

Requirements: This residency is open to current graduate students or recent graduates (within one year of graduation). Applicants must have successfully completed at least twelve graduate semester hours (or the equivalent) applied toward an advanced degree in archives, library or information management, literature, American history/studies, or other humanities discipline, public history, or museum studies; a demonstrated interest in the archival profession; good organizational and communication skills; and the ability to manage multiple projects. At least twelve undergraduate semester hours (or the equivalent) in a humanities discipline and/or foreign language skills (particularly Spanish-language reading skills) are preferred.

The Library highly encourages applicants from under-represented communities to apply.

To apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, and two letters of recommendation addressed to the search committee at mssdiv@princeton.edu with the subject line “Archival Residency.” Applications must be received by Monday, March 9th, 2020. Video interviews will be conducted with the top candidates, and the successful candidate will be notified by April 3rd.

Please note: University housing will not be available to the successful candidate. Interested applicants should consider their housing options carefully and may wish to consult the online campus bulletin board for more information on this topic.

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER.

Information about previous recipients can be found here.

Name: Alice Griffin

Educational Background: I recently graduated from Pratt Institute in New York City with a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science, with a personal focus in archives and information technology. For my undergraduate degree, I studied anthropology and French at Barnard College in New York City.

Previous Experience: During college, I worked in the Barnard College Archives and Special Collections where I developed an intense appreciation of archival collections, archival work, and archivists themselves! For two summers during college I interned in the Archives and Modern Manuscripts Division at the National Library of Medicine.

After college, I taught English in French public schools, then returned to the U.S. and interned at the National Anthropological Archives, working in the reference room and on processing projects. In late 2016, I began working as the Metadata/Digitization Assistant at the Archives of La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, where I continued working through graduate school.

Why I like Archives/Professional Interests: I like archives because it’s a field where continual learning and critical inquiry are encouraged. I also enjoy how archival work facilitates new research and scholarship. Generally, I am interested in how archival description can best facilitate access for different communities of users.

Other interests: I love live music in small venues and have a soft spot for good bar trivia.

Looking forward to working on the following project(s) while at Princeton: I’m looking forward to the many projects I’ll be working on this summer! I’ll be starting with processing the Peter Bunnell Papers; then, I’ll be working with some born-digital materials and French language collections. Also looking forward to responding to remote reference with public services.

Princeton University Library’s Department of Rare Books and Special Collections (RBSC) is excited to offer the Archival Fellowship for Manuscripts Division Collections again this year. The fellowship provides a summer of paid work experience for a current or recent graduate student interested in pursuing an archival career.

Fellowship Description: The 2019 Fellow will primarily gain experience in technical services, with a focus this year on arrangement and description of manuscript collections, including hybrid collections with born-digital and audiovisual materials. Additional projects may include assisting with reference and other public services tasks. The Fellow will work under the guidance of the team of processing staff responsible for collections within RBSC’s Manuscripts Division, including the Lead Processing Archivist, Project Archivist for Americana Manuscripts Collections, Processing Archivist for General Collections, and the Latin American Processing Archivist.

The Manuscripts Division of Rare Books and Special Collections is located in Firestone Library, Princeton University’s main library, and holds over 14,000 linear feet of materials covering five thousand years of recorded history and all parts of the world, with collecting strengths in Western Europe, the Near East, the United States, and Latin America. The Fellow will primarily work with the Division’s expansive literary collections, the papers of former Princeton faculty, and collections relating to the history of the United States during the 18th and 19th centuries.

The ten- to twelve-week fellowship program, which can begin as early as May, provides a stipend of $950 per week. In addition, travel, registration, and hotel costs to the Society of American Archivists’ annual meeting in August will be covered by Princeton.

Requirements: This fellowship is open to current graduate students or recent graduates (within one year of graduation). Applicants must have successfully completed at least twelve graduate semester hours (or the equivalent) applied toward an advanced degree in archives, library or information management, literature, American history/studies, or other humanities discipline, public history, or museum studies; a demonstrated interest in the archival profession; good organizational and communication skills; and the ability to manage multiple projects. At least twelve undergraduate semester hours (or the equivalent) in a humanities discipline and/or foreign language skills (particularly Spanish-language reading skills) are preferred.

The Library highly encourages applicants from under-represented communities to apply.

To apply: Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and two letters of recommendation addressed to the processing team at mssdiv@princeton.edu. Applications must be received by Monday, March 4, 2019. Video interviews will be conducted with the top candidates, and the successful candidate will be notified by April 5th.

Please note: University housing will not be available to the successful candidate. Interested applicants should consider their housing options carefully and may wish to consult the online campus bulletin board for more information on this topic.

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER.

Under the supervision of the processing team for Manuscripts Division collections, the summer fellow will be assisting staff with various projects, particularly processing projects that will include working with paper-based, born-digital, and audiovisual content.

Name: Sara Rogers

Educational background:  I just graduated from The University of Texas at Austin where I obtained my Master’s degree in Information Studies at the School of Information. As an undergraduate I studied History and English at the University of Denver.

Previous experience:  After graduating from college, I worked for several years in the Records department of a financial institution in Denver, Colorado. While I enjoyed the kind of work I was doing I knew I really wanted to work with special collections and materials that could be shared with the public. 

In Austin, I had the opportunity to work for the Briscoe Center for American History as the Archives Intern and as a Graduate Research Assistant at the Alexander Architectural Archives. I also worked on a digitization project for a production company and an audiovisual project for South by Southwest.

Why I like archives/Professional interests:  I feel lucky to have been exposed to archives early on. When I first started college I immediately went to the main library on campus to fulfill my lifelong dream of being paid to read books all day. Instead, the hiring manager heard I was planning on studying history and wisely assigned me to work in Special Collections and Archives.

Other interests:  I love traveling! I grew up an Army Brat, so I’ve been fortunate enough to have had some amazing opportunities to live and study abroad. However, despite being fairly well traveled, this is my first time spending a significant amount of time on the East Coast. So I’m excited to spend my weekends exploring the area and visiting nearby cities. If anyone has any travel tips/suggestions let me know!

Looking forward to working on the following project(s) while at Princeton: This summer I will be processing legacy collections, testing and documenting born-digital workflows, learning how to use the 3D printer, working with public services and more! While I have spent the past year working with born-digital materials and creating documentation for digital preservation, I am excited to have the opportunity to process paper collections again and to work with public services.

The Manuscripts Division, a unit of Princeton University Library’s Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, is proud to offer the 2018 Manuscripts Division Archival Fellowship. This fellowship provides a summer of paid work experience for a current or recent graduate student interested in pursuing an archival career. For more information about the Manuscripts Division visit: http://rbsc.princeton.edu/divisions/manuscripts-division

Fellowship Description: The 2018 Fellow will gain experience in technical services, with a focus this year on arrangement and description of manuscript collections, including hybrid collections with born-digital and audiovisual materials. Additional projects may include assisting with reference and imaging services work. The Fellow will work primarily under the guidance of the of the Manuscripts Division processing team, which includes the Lead Processing Archivist and Project Archivist for Americana Manuscript Collections.

The Manuscripts Division of Rare Books and Special Collections is located in Firestone Library, Princeton University’s main library, and holds over 14,000 linear feet of materials covering five thousand years of recorded history and all parts of the world, with collecting strengths in Western Europe, the Near East, the United States, and Latin America. The Fellow will primarily work with the Division’s expansive literary collections, the papers of former Princeton faculty, and collections relating to the history of the United States during the 18th and 19th centuries.

The ten- to twelve-week fellowship program, which may be started as early as May, provides a stipend of $950 per week. In addition, travel, registration, and hotel costs to the Society of American Archivists’ annual meeting in August will be covered by Princeton.

Requirements: This fellowship is open to current graduate students or recent graduates (within one year of graduation). Successful completion of at least twelve graduate semester hours (or the equivalent) applied toward an advanced degree in archives, library or information management, literature, American history/studies, or other humanities discipline, public history, or museum studies; demonstrated interest in the archival profession; and good organizational and communication skills. At least twelve undergraduate semester hours (or the equivalent) in a humanities discipline and/or foreign language skills are preferred.

The Library highly encourages applicants from under-represented communities to apply.

To apply: Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and two letters of recommendation to: mssdiv@princeton.edu. Applications must be received by Monday, March 12, 2018. Video interviews will be conducted with the top candidates, and the successful candidate will be notified by April 20th.

Please note: University housing will not be available to the successful candidate. Interested applicants should consider their housing options carefully and may wish to consult the online campus bulletin board for more information on this topic.

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER.

Under the supervision of the Manuscripts Division processing team, the summer fellow will be assisting with several key projects, including “traditional” paper-based processing, processing born-digital media, inventorying AV materials, and researching access options for born-digital and digitized AV content.

Kat at Prambanan, a Hindu temple in Indonesia

Name: Kathryn Antonelli (but feel free to call me Kat!)

Educational background: I received my undergraduate education from Temple University. My degree was in Media Studies and Production, with a minor in French. I’m now about halfway through my Master’s program in Library and Information Science through the University of South Carolina’s distributed education option. This summer, I’m conducting an independent study on the ethics of archiving audiovisual materials (especially within collections of indigenous and minority cultural groups), so if you have any leads on interesting articles to read please do let me know. 🙂

Previous experience: Before finding my interest in archiving, I worked in event production at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. More recently, after moving to Chicago and starting my MLIS, I’ve had the opportunity to intern at the Gerber/Hart Library, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Oriental Institute, and the Newberry Library.

Why I like archives: I like archives for two reasons: the stories they tell, and the mysteries they solve. I do truly enjoy working with paper-based collections, but after my undergraduate program I became much more aware of how audiovisual media presents—or omits—information, which made those materials and the ways we can use them even more interesting to me. And, after a childhood full of Nancy Drew novels, I’ll count anything from puzzling out the (accurate!) birth date of a well-known dancer to identifying people in a photograph as a type of mystery solving.

Other interests: While baseball season is a lot of fun, and the weather is much nicer, I’m rarely sad for summer to end because it means college football is about to start. I’m an ardent Temple fan, of course, but I also watch every other game I can. My friends are always entertained by the irony, since outside of watching sports I am not a competitive person at all.

Projects this summer: I’m excited that my first task at Princeton is to process the Albert Bensoussan papers. The collection is in both French and Spanish and I love working with foreign language materials. Later this summer, I’ll be taking on more tasks with our born-digital holdings, so I’m also looking forward to learning how to use the new FRED machine to work with files in the Toni Morrison collection.

The Manuscripts Division, a unit of Princeton University Library’s Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, is proud to offer the inaugural Manuscripts Division Archival Fellowship to one graduate student or recent graduate this year. This fellowship provides a summer of work experience for a current or recent graduate student interested in pursuing an archival career. For more information about the Manuscripts Division visit: http://rbsc.princeton.edu/divisions/manuscripts-division

Fellowship Description: The 2017 Fellow will gain experience in technical services, with a focus this year on description and management of born-digital and audiovisual materials. The Fellow will work under the guidance of the of the Manuscripts Division processing team, which includes the Lead Processing Archivist, Latin America Processing Archivist, and General Manuscripts Processor. Projects for 2017 may include:

• Processing one or more paper-based or hybrid format manuscript collections;
• Conducting a survey of legacy audiovisual materials and assisting in the writing of a grant proposal for an audio digitization project;
• Assisting with processing and analysis of born-digital media and implementation of related tools and software (i.e. FRED, ArchivesSpace, BitCurator, KryoFlux); and
• Researching access options and permissions for digitized and born-digital materials.

The Manuscripts Division of Rare Books and Special Collections is located in Firestone Library, Princeton University’s main library, and holds over 14,000 linear feet of materials covering five thousand years of recorded history and all parts of the world, with collecting strengths in Western Europe, the Near East, the United States, and Latin America. The Fellow will primarily work with the Division’s expansive literary collections, including recently-acquired collections of contemporary authors, and collections relating to the history of the United States during the 18th and 19th centuries. The Fellow will have an opportunity to gain considerable experience and aid staff in formalizing comprehensive management of its born-digital and audiovisual materials, including developing methods of providing better access to this content.

The ten- to twelve-week fellowship program, which may be started as early as May, provides a stipend of $950 per week. In addition, travel, registration, and hotel costs to the Society of American Archivists’ annual meeting in July will be reimbursed.

Requirements: This fellowship is open to current graduate students or recent graduates (within one year of graduation). Successful completion of at least twelve graduate semester hours (or the equivalent) applied toward an advanced degree in archives, library or information management, literature, American history/studies, or other humanities discipline, public history, or museum studies; demonstrated interest in the archival profession; and good organizational and communication skills. At least twelve undergraduate semester hours (or the equivalent) in a humanities discipline and/or foreign language skills are preferred.

The Library highly encourages applicants from under-represented communities to apply.

To apply: Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and two letters of recommendation to: mssdiv@princeton.edu. Applications must be received by Monday, March 6, 2017. Skype interviews will be conducted with the top candidates, and the successful candidate will be notified by April 14.

Please note: University housing will not be available to the successful candidate. Interested applicants should consider their housing options carefully and may wish to consult the online campus bulletin board for more information on this topic.

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER.