An internship or volunteer experience at the JDC Archives is a wonderful way to engage in the non-profit sector and Jewish and general history, as well as the fields of library science and archival studies. Those interested are encouraged to review the current opportunities below, and contact us for more information.
Interns and volunteers are directly involved in hands-on projects that help preserve JDC's historical records and make them accessible to the public.
Some of the diverse opportunities for interns and volunteers include working with:
- The extensive photographic collection
- The indexing project to facilitate family history searches
- The arrangement of archival material
- Research projects
- Library cataloguing
- Digitization projects
While requirements vary based on the project, all interns and volunteers are expected to have the ability to work as a reliable team player, general computer skills, an interest in the history and treasures of the JDC Archives and the ability to work with detail.
All internships are unpaid. The expected schedule is 12-20 hours per week. Internship options are available in both the NY and Jerusalem JDC offices.
Send resumes to: internships@jdc.org
Internship Listings
Library Internship
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee seeks an intern to aid in the automation of its corporate library. JDC Archives holds several thousand books and periodicals related to 20th century Jewish history and culture worldwide. Our goal is to catalog and arrange the library materials in order to gain intellectual control and provide easier access to the materials for both internal staff and visiting researchers.
Responsibilities include:
- Copy-cataloging, classification, and processing of books
- Identifying books in need of repair and performing basic book repair
- Assisting with development of corporate library lending policies and procedures
Qualifications:
Prefer an upper-level undergraduate, graduate, or recently graduated student interested in a career in libraries, archives, and/or Jewish studies. The following strongly recommended: basic understanding of cataloging principals, MARC, and classification systems; subject knowledge and/or strong interest in Jewish history and literature.
Photo Internship
The Photo Collection of the JDC Archives contains over 100,000 images. These photographs offer a rich historical overview of activities conducted by JDC for 10 decades in over 90 countries around the world. More than 45,000 photographs have already been digitally scanned and cataloged. The Archives is seeking an intern to assist us with the preservation of the photo collection.
Responsibilities include:
- Preparing original photographs for archival storage and scanning
- Integrating new photographs into existing cataloguing system
- Entering and copy-editing information into the Archives database
Qualifications:
A familiarity with Word, Excel and database procedures is recommended. Library or archival training is preferred.
Indexing Project Internship
The JDC is seeking interns to assist in indexing important historic lists for publication in our database. This is perfect for those with an interest in Jewish or general history, genealogy, the non-profit sector, library science or archival work.
Responsibilities include:
- Researching new documents
- Cataloguing names directly into database
- Administering quality control
Qualifications:
General computer skills and high attention to detail are required. An interest in history and genealogy are highly recommended.
Processing Internship
JDC is seeking an intern to process valuable institutional records of the organization’s activities.
Responsibilities include:
- Arranging and describing historic records of the organization's century-long history
- Conducting necessary research to effectively describe the content and condition of materials according to institutional standards
- Updating inventories and finding aids for collections
Qualifications:
Interest in archives and information science is recommended. Experience processing archival records preferred, but not necessary. Concurrent coursework in Archives, Library Science, Museum Studies, Political Science, or History recommended.