Undergraduate Library Residency

Call for Applicants

Apply Now

The application deadline for our 2022-2023 cycle is 11:59PM on Tuesday, March 15, 2022.

Do you collect stories about your family’s history? Have you ever wondered about the evolution of your neighbourhood over time? Did you participate in National History Day in middle or high school? Have you enjoyed helping your kids with social studies assignments for school? Do you enjoy historical documentaries, television series set in the past, or reading historical fiction? Have you ever wondered about the historical roots of present-day injustice? A career in public history might be for you!

The Massachusetts Historical Society seeks applicants for the inaugural year of its Undergraduate Library Residency program. Founded in 1791, the Massachusetts Historical Society is one of the oldest independent research libraries in the nation. We collect, preserve, and make available for research materials that help to tell the stories of our past. Free and open to the public, we offer access to our resources through the research library, exhibitions, public programs, and more. This new residency program is designed to offer undergraduate students with an interest in pursuing a career in public history an introduction to the field and entry-level work experience. No previous experience in public history or library work is required. 

Two undergraduate students will be hired for the 2022-2023 academic year. During the two-semester residency they will provide services to researchers who make use of the Society’s collections; complete at least one special project designed in collaboration with MHS staff; and gain an broad understanding of the public history field through background reading, site visits, and professional development opportunities. For a more detailed description of the residency year, see the Residency Calendar section below.

Applicants from minoritized communities – including students who are Black, indigenous, and other people of color, first generation college students, nontraditional students, English language learners, low-income students, LGBTQ+ students, and disabled students – are strongly encouraged to apply.

Hours

Residents will work 10-14 hours per week; up to a total of 336 hours during the residency period. Residents will work a combination of on site and flexible/remote hours and have a set schedule each semester, established to accommodate their coursework, other work schedules, childcare, and additional life commitments. For a sample residency schedule, see the Residency Calendar section below.

Wages

Residents will earn $18.00 per hour; up to a total of $6,048.00 during the residency period. As part-time staff, residents will receive staff benefits including paid sick time, paid holidays, optional participation in the MHS retirement plan, and professional development funds.

Requirements

Applicants must have completed the equivalent of one year of undergraduate coursework and be currently enrolled full- or part-time in an accredited undergraduate program during the residency period. Some experience in customer service work, such as food service or retail, preferred. Some experience in doing history, such as a high school or college course, preferred.

Terms of Employment

The Residency term will be approximately eight months, scheduled to coincide with the resident’s 2022-2023 academic year. The residency is not eligible for extension or renewal, but residents may apply for open library assistant positions, or other positions that become available at the MHS, during or after their residency. 

How to Apply

Applicants must provide a resume and complete a brief online application form that includes contact information and three short-answer questions. We will also ask you to complete a short, anonymous demographic survey that will not be linked to your application. Finalists will be invited to interview with the hiring committee and asked to provide contact details for three references.

Resume

On your resume, share your work and academic experience with us. We especially encourage applicants to include any work experience that involves frontline customer service, such as food service or retail work, and any experience in doing history, such as courses in high school and college.

Application Questions

The application form asks for brief answers (500 words or less) to three questions: 

• What experience has prompted your interest in public history work? Share with us why you are applying for this position. 
• What is one question you have about doing public history work? Share with us one thing you hope to learn during the residency year.
• Describe a project that you are proud of having completed for work or school. This can be a project of any type, on any subject. Share with us what you did and how you did it, with a particular focus on what challenges you encountered and how you responded to them.

Apply Now 

The application deadline for our 2022-2023 cycle is 11:59 PM on Tuesday, March 15, 2022.

Learn More About the MHS

Interested in learning more about the Massachusetts Historical Society’s collections and activities as you consider whether or not to apply? Here are some suggestions: 

• Explore the Our Favorite Things digital exhibit in which MHS staff introduce objects from the collection that they find particularly meaningful. 
• Listen to the Object of History podcast in which MHS staff explore the history behind a specific item, or collection of items, in our care.
• Watch a video of a public program or program series such as our award-winning Housing as History series.

Questions?

We welcome questions about this new program as you prepare your application. Please contact the residency coordinator Anna Clutterbuck-Cook, Senior Reference Librarian at acook@masshist.org.

Residency Calendar

Rotation 1 (September - December): Reader Services

During the first rotation of the residency, the primary goals of the residents will be to 1) become proficient in all of the duties of library assistant, and 2) deepen their knowledge of the MHS as a public history institution and the public history field overall. At least 7 hours of the resident’s weekly schedule will be spent training and working in the Reader Services department. In this role they will staff desks in the reading room and reference area and work with the public in person and remotely, paging materials, providing reproduction services, and responding to reference requests under the supervision of the senior reference librarian and other library staff. These hours must be worked on site during the library’s hours of operation (Monday - Friday, 8:45-4:45) and can be worked in a single full day or two half-day shifts. The remainder of the resident’s time each week (3-7 hours, depending on the resident’s availability) will be spent on a variety of activities designed to help them deepen their knowledge regarding the operation of different departments at the MHS and the public history field overall. These activities will include assigned readings; shadowing and informational sessions with departments outside of the library; attending MHS programs such as brown bag lunch talks and seminars; attending staff meetings; and field trips to other local public history organizations. Some or all of these hours may be worked remotely and flexibly depending upon the nature of the tasks and the resident’s preference.  

Residents will meet together weekly with the residency coordinator during Rotation 1 to discuss their work, confirm tasks for the following week, and address any questions or concerns that residents wish to raise. Ongoing resident feedback will be particularly valuable during this inaugural year of the program as we seek to ensure the residency meets the needs of our residents.

During Rotation 1 the residents will also learn about the operation of departments outside the library and, in collaboration with the residency coordinator and other relevant staff, develop plans for a special project or projects that they will undertake during Rotation 2. 

Rotation 2 (January - April): Special Project(s)

During the second rotation of the residency, the primary goals of the residents will be to 1) Complete their special project(s) as determined during Rotation 1, 2) Serve as a library assistant in reader services at least one half-day shift per week. During this rotation the resident will work for 7 hours/week on their special project(s), either on site or remotely as determined by/with their special project supervisor(s). The resident may choose to complete one major project during Rotation 2 or undertake up to three smaller projects that allow them to sample the work in various departments outside of Reader Services. Each project will have a clearly defined outcome with a tangible product that will be included in the resident’s final portfolio (see below). At the end of Rotation 2 the residents will present their work at a staff brown bag lunch event. The remainder of their hours during Rotation 2 (3-7 hours) will be scheduled in the Reader Services department serving patrons in person and remotely. This work will be done on site. 

In addition to special projects and library assistant work, the MHS will also send the Residents, along with the senior reference librarian or another staff member, to at least one local public history conference during their residency in order to learn about current discussions in the field and gain experience participating in this type of professional development activity. Conference options will include New England Archivists spring meeting, New England Historical Association spring conference, and the New England Museum Association autumn conference. Resident interests and the focus of special projects will help drive selection of the best fit among these or other professional development options. Registration, travel, and lodging expenses will be paid for by the MHS. 

Portfolio and Reporting/Assessment

Toward the end of the residency, the resident will wrap up their special project(s) and prepare 1) a presentation for staff and invited members of the public on their special project(s), and 2) a physical or digital portfolio representing their work during the entire residency. The portfolio will include a written reflection by the residency coordinator and any relevant departmental supervisors as well as examples of the resident’s work and their own reflections on the strengths and weaknesses of the residency program, with recommendations for improving the program for future participants. Both the presentations and the portfolios will be made available to the program’s advisory group for review.

Academic Credit

The MHS does not grant academic credit for the residency but students may seek to earn academic credit from their own institutions for their work. The residency coordinator will be available to help facilitate this if a resident chooses to pursue this possibility. 

Sample Schedule

The MHS library sets a regular schedule roughly three times per year (spring, summer, and fall) with part-time staff scheduled for predictable weekly shifts based on their availability. Each resident will be scheduled for regular on site hours with the addition of flexible hours to be worked when the resident is able. Below is an example of how a regular schedule and weekly activities (to be determined collaboratively by the resident and resident coordinator) might play out in practice. 

Regular weekly shifts/meetings (italicized) would be established at the start of the residency and remain consistent throughout Rotation 1. All of the flexible/additional activities would be scheduled to be compatible with the resident’s other commitments.