Education Justice Project Community Library Reference Internship, EJP Community Library, Danville, IL

Posted December 10, 2021

Description:

The mission of the Education Justice project is to build a model college-in-prison program that demonstrates the positive impacts of higher education upon incarcerated people, their families, the neighborhoods from which they come, the host institution, and society as a whole.

The EJP Community Library seeks to build a small team of off-site reference interns to help meet the academic research and information needs of its incarcerated student members at Danville Correctional Center (DCC) in Danville, Illinois by providing in-depth reference support. This is a remote position, and does not require prison clearance.

Intern Responsibilities

● Respond to students’ written reference requests by selecting relevant materials from the University of Illinois collection of print and digital resources according to library best practice while also observing the Illinois Department of Corrections’ ever-changing regulations. Materials will be printed at the EJP office, compiled into packets, and submitted to DCC for clearance.
● Participate in ongoing evaluation of the off-site reference service program and help create innovative solutions and improvements
● Maintain reference statistics for end of the year report

Requirements

● Masters in Library Science either completed or in progress, having finished at least one reference course
● Excellent communication and organizational skills
● Understanding of the social and historical contexts of EJP’s work

Preferred

● Access to University of Illinois digital resources
● Academic reference experience

This is an unpaid position, beginning in late January and ending in May 2022, with the possibility of extension. Hours are flexible, but ideally 8-10 hours per week.

How to Apply:

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter to the reference internship search committee at [email protected].

The positions will remain open until filled.