Reference Library Intern – Library Reference Services

Job Description

Reference Library Intern | University of Pennsylvania

The Tone:
This is a 1-year term internship at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, located in Philadelphia, PA. The University of Pennsylvania is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation, consistently ranking among the top universities. This role is crucial for an energetic reference intern to participate as a member of the academic engagement and departmental libraries teams, receiving mentoring from professional librarians. The intern will help shape reference services for Penn Libraries while developing their skills in various projects.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Temporary, 1-year term
• Location: In-person, Philadelphia, PA
• Pay: $15–$20 hourly
• Team: Academic engagement and departmental libraries teams, mentored by professional librarians
• Mission: Optimize general reference services and improve service quality and consistency across the Penn Libraries.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Support: Assist the Reference Services Task Force in conducting a holistic analysis of general reference services throughout the libraries.
• Analyze: Help analyze 2 – 3 years of chat reference data to identify trends, patterns, and implications for staffing and service hours.
• Review: Conduct spot reviews of chat transcripts and tickets to identify opportunities for improving service quality, consistency, and documentation.
• Develop: Assist in developing recommendations for both one-time and ongoing training programs for reference providers.
• Research: Participate in an environmental scan of peer institutions and review current literature on evolving reference services.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Current graduate student enrolled in an ALA-accredited library or information science program, or another graduate studies program.
• Experience: No specific years of prior experience are required. Demonstrated desire to learn, adapt quickly, and work independently within a library setting, supporting a diverse academic community.
• Skills: Strong service orientation and a willingness to troubleshoot. Possesses attention to detail, with the ability to work both independently and as an effective part of a team. Must have flexibility regarding work location and the ability to work onsite in the library spaces.