Smathers Undergraduate Internship Program

This guide is intended to help UF Library employees develop a successful undergraduate internship proposal. Undergraduate students wishing to apply for library internships may search for opportunities via UF Careers listings and the Smathers Library HR website.

Library internship opportunities will be advertised campus-wide approximately 4weeks prior to the semester the internship begins.

The Smathers Undergraduate Internship Program provides semester-based student internships in the George A. Smathers Libraries, organized into four broad categories: circulation/collections, outreach, special projects, and user engagement. Successful internship proposals are awarded each semester through a selective process open to all library staff and faculty. Proposals require at least one staff or faculty member in the Libraries to serve as the Internship Director. The Program provides a supportive environment for those who wish to gain experience conceptualizing, writing, and administering small grants and internship projects.

Student internships benefit the Libraries and foster collaboration across campus while providing students with experiential learning opportunities. Internships are open to all UF undergraduate students, current Library Student Assistants are especially encouraged to apply. Remote or online internships will need specific approval from departmental and affiliated administrative units. 

1. Program announcement at the beginning of each semester (spring, summer, fall)
2. Q+A sessions leading up to proposal deadline (4 & 3 weeks prior to deadline)
3. Reminder emails (2 & 1 weeks before deadline)
4. Proposals are due to the committee (submitted by Library employees): 
   • March 1 for Summer Internships
   • May 1 for Fall Internships
   • October 1 for Spring Internships
5. Proposals reviewed by Committee and returned with feedback to submitters (1 week after proposal deadline)
   • link to application materials on the Resources tab
6. Revised proposals returned to the Committee (2 weeks after proposal deadline)
   • Committee submits all revised proposals with recommendations to Library Admin for review.
7. Committee informs applicants of award decisions (3-4 weeks post proposal deadline)
   • Awarded proposals then announced Libraries' wide via Town Hall or Email.
8. Internship Director works with Library HR to advertise open internship positions via PVA
   • PVA can be submitted along with proposal to expedite the internship advertisement if awarded (template here).
   • Must be posted 5 weeks minimum prior to the internship start date (which should the first day of the internship semester), posting should be active for 2-3 weeks.
   • Remote internships will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will require approval of the unit administration.
9. After the application period closes, selection and hiring of students can take around 2-3 weeks to complete, please plan accordingly.
   • Internship Director fills out letter of award template, selected student intern signs, submitted to Library HR.
   • See this resource for more information: https://hr.uflib.ufl.edu/current-employees/recruitment/internships/ 
10. 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.
      • You can reach out to your department to see who is offering a one-shot/instruction session or contact the Committee for assistance in scheduling this aspect.
    • Schedule regular check-in meetings with the intern throughout the internship.
    • Contact UF Libraries' Communications Team or your unit's social media manager early if you and your intern would like to promote your work or the results of the project.
    • If the internship is 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 the results of the internship (Town Hall, presentation, email, Source highlight or article, conference, etc.).
    • Be sure to schedule an internship wrap up meeting with the intern prior to the end of their commitment.
      • Please work with the student on adding this experience to their resume
      • Coordinate with Library HR for the offboarding process

• Circulation/Collections: relates to circulation and collections projects
  • Strategic Directions 1, 2
  • Examples:
    • Intern enhances the usability of a collection by processing materials and developing a finding aid.
    • Intern facilitates the implementation or surveys the effectiveness of a new library circulation program.
• Outreach: supports Library services and collections promotion, including activities & events
  • Strategic Directions 1, 2
  • 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
  • Examples: 
    • In cooperation with subject specialist/professor ___ from X 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: meaningful resources and technologies to improve the Library experience for a diverse patronage
  • Strategic Directions 3, 5
  • Examples: 
    • Intern will facilitate special instructional workshop program.
    • Intern assists in testing new technologies intended to improve user experience.