Smathers Undergraduate Internship Program

This guide is intended to support UF Library employees with developing successful undergraduate internship proposals. Undergraduate students that wish to apply for library internships may search for available opportunities through UF Careers listings and the Smathers Libraries HR webpage.

Available undergraduate internship opportunities within the Smathers Libraries will be advertised approximately 4 weeks prior to the semester that the internship begins.

The Smathers Undergraduate Internship Program provides 1-2 semester-long student internships in the George A. Smathers Libraries.   Internships are organized into 4 broad categories (listed below):

1. Circulation / Collections

2. Outreach

3. Special Projects

4. User Engagement

Successful internship proposals are generally awarded each semester through a selective process, open to all library staff and faculty. Proposals require at least one staff or faculty member working in the libraries to serve as the Internship Director. The program provides a supportive environment for those who wish to gain valuable experience conceptualizing, writing, and administering small grants and internship projects, as well as gain direct supervisory experience. 

Internships should benefit undergraduate students by providing experiential learning opportunities.  They should also provide tangible benefits to the libraries, which align with our internal Strategic Directions: Strategic-Directions-2025-Digital-Version.pdf.  

Internships are open to all UF undergraduate students, current Library Student Assistants are especially encouraged to apply.  Internships which involve a hybrid or remote work model require approval from the Libraries HR office and the Internship Director's Department Head.

1. Program announcement and call for proposals is shared with all Smathers Libraries staff via email at the start of each semester
2. 1-2 Q&A sessions are held a few weeks before the submission deadline
3. Reminder emails are sent out 1&2 weeks before the submission deadline
4. Proposals, (submitted by Smathers Libraries staff & faculty), are due to the committee: 

• March 1 for Summer Internships
• May 1 for Fall Internships
• October 1 for Spring Internships

1. Initial proposal submissions are reviewed by committee members and thoughtful feedback to help strengthen proposals is shared with applicants, 1 week after the submission deadline.
2. Revised proposals are returned to the committee, 2 weeks after proposal deadline.

• Committee members perform a final review and rank all revised proposals and submit proposals to library deans for funding consideration

1. Applicants are informed of funding decisions, 3-4 weeks after the proposal deadline

• Awarded proposals are announced library-wide by committee email or 'shout out' email by the library dean

1. Internship director(s) work with the Libraries HR office to draft PVA and post and advertise the available internship position 

• PVAs may be submitted with proposal to expedite the internship advertisement, if awarded
• Must be posted a minimum of 5 weeks prior to the internship start date (which should the first day of the semester, when the internship begins.
•  Position postings should be active for a minimum of 2 weeks.
• Hybrid and remote internships will be considered on a case-by-case basis and require prior approval by the Internship Director's Department Head, as well as the Libraries HR office.

1. Selecting and hiring student interns may take 2-3 weeks to complete, please plan accordingly.
   • Internship Director(s) complete a letter of award and provide it to the selected candidate to sign, then submit it to the Libraries HR office. 
   • See this onboarding resource for more information: https://hr.uflib.ufl.edu/current-employees/recruitment/internships/. 
2. Things to remember during the internship period:
   • Onboarding and training the intern will take up most of the first week of the internship (at least, depending on the project).
   • The intern will have to attend one library-related workshop & one 'one-shot' library instruction session, please plan ahead as this may impact your internship schedule.
     • Internship Directors may reach out to library colleagues to see if someone is offering a one-shot / library instruction session or contact the committee for scheduling assistance.
   • Schedule regular check-in meetings with the intern throughout the internship.
   • Contact the Smathers Libraries communications team and/or your unit's social media manager early on, if you and your intern want to promote your work on social media.
   • If the internship is eligible and desired for course credit, be sure to coordinate with the credit issuing department and consider their timelines and requirements.
   • Plan for how the Internship Director & Intern will disseminate information regarding the outcome of the internship (Town Hall or department presentation, library-wide email, Source Magazine submission, conference poster or presentation, etc.).
   • Be sure to schedule a wrap-up meeting with the intern prior to the end of their commitment.
     • Collaborate with the student intern on updating their CV or resume
     • Coordinate offboarding the student intern with the Libraries HR office and LTS

• Circulation / Collections: relates to circulation and collections projects
  • Strategic Directions 2, 3
  • Examples:
    • Intern enhances the usability of a collection by processing materials for circulation and developing a finding aid.
    • Intern facilitates the implementation or surveys the effectiveness of a new library webpage or integrated library system ("ILS") software.
• Outreach: supports library services and promotes collections, including collaborative events and activities
  • Strategic Directions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
  • Examples: 
    • Intern creates a marketing package including branding, web resources and social media posts to promote a library initiative.
    • Intern facilitates a library event series in partnership with ___ unit/organization in order to promote ___ collection.
• Special Projects: academic focused  
  • Strategic Directions 1, 2, 4, 5, 6
  • Examples: 
    • In cooperation with subject specialist/professor ___ from ___ department; the intern will develop a website showcasing current research in the field which focuses prominently on the ___ collection.
    • Intern creates an annotated bibliography to provide an overview on a collection alongside an academic topic.
• User Engagement: Resources and technologies that improve the library experience for all users
  • Strategic Directions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
  • Examples: 
    • Intern facilitates a new or unique instructional workshop program.
    • Intern assists in testing new technologies intended to improve user experience.