Miami-Dade Public Library System (MDPLS)
Main Library – Internship Job Description
Available Spring 2012
General—(Note: most internship(s) will not include all of these duties)
- Reference & ILS system (Polaris) training
- Assist staffing the different public service desks – answering customers’ reference inquiries and providing computer assistance
- Learning and assisting with the Library’s email reference department
- Shadowing staff on Ask-a-Librarian
- Assist with public computer classes
- Assisting with circulation
- Sorting, shelving, shifting, organizing materials and shelf reading
- Inventorying and re-barcoding
- Processing new and donated materials, mending and re-jacketing books
Possible Projects
Urban Affairs Department
- Assist county and municipal government employees with research on the topics of public administration, government, urban planning, public policy, transportation, human services, law enforcement, and other urban affairs topics.
- Perform outreach and staff trainings and workshops for other employees to become familiar with the libraries resources. Workshops are catered to resources that are most useful to that employees department.
- Collection Development – Work with historical serials and periodicals. Weeding, consolidating and inventorying the collection.
Foreign Language Department
The project which was begun by an intern last year consists of integrating the Cuban reference materials from the old Hispanic Branch to the Main Library. The remaining part consists of:
- Look at and process books still left in closed stacks (many may need linking or fast adds)
- Withdraw some of the weeded 900s reference titles.
- Shift part of the reference 900s to make room for these materials
Social Sciences Department
Foundation Center:
- Programming: Helping to set up FC program (webinars, special classes)
- Creating user aides, bibliographies, and informational materials
- Assisting in the processing of incoming materials arriving from the Foundation Center (stamping, creating labels)
- Shelving the materials
Young Adults:
- Processing paperbacks (stamping and labeling)
- Programming: Helping set up Anime events and participating in other YA programs (College Fair, Research Rally…etc.)
- Conduct tours
- Participate in Art Of Storytelling Festival
- Create bibliographies and user aides
- Book displays
- Place subject stickers on books
- Organize the Manga collection (determine which ones are missing)
- Assist with teaching resume and other computer classes
Government Documents:
- Shelve microfiche and other materials by the Superintendent of Documents number
- Create disposition lists for items being offered to other libraries
Fine Arts Department
Music Score Collection:
The Miami-Dade Public Library System has received a collection of music scores that belonged to the former Florida Philharmonic Orchestra. This important collection includes orchestral, chamber, brass, and choral music with approximately 2,630 titles.
- The preservation and handling of the collection requires a certain level of knowledge in music that MDPLS staff does not currently possess.
- A partial inventory has been provided to MDPLS, but in order to circulate these materials to local music organizations, the inventory needs to be completed.
- This project consists of physically reviewing each music piece for completeness and making notes in the inventory spreadsheet.
- In addition, some processing of the materials also needs to be done. This processing includes placing barcode and property labels on the materials themselves and creating an individual inventory or checklist for each piece that records all of the parts necessary to perform the work.
- A background in classical music is required.
- Experience with Microsoft Excel is required.
- Obviously, this is a major project that will not be completed in one semester but may be ongoing for some time.
LP Record Collection:
The Miami-Dade Public Library System owns a large collection of approximately 33,000 LP records. Most of the records are of classical music such as symphonies, orchestras, operas, etc. Only about 10 percent of this collection has been cataloged and added to our ILS (Integrated Library System – Polaris) for circulation to our patrons. With a shortage of catalogers, the un-catalogued materials are languishing on the shelves with no hope for cataloging any time in the future, near or distant. These records take up a huge amount of space that may be better used for other purposes.
- This project consists of inventorying the records, checking for duplicates, and preparing them for possible sale by the Friends of the Library.
- Experience with Microsoft Excel is preferred.
- A background in music may be helpful but not necessary.
YOUmedia Project Mentors
The MDPLS digital YOUmedia center will enable high school age teens to access hundreds of books, laptops and desktop computers, and a variety of media creation tools and software, all of which allow them to enhance their digital media skills. By working both in teams and individually, teens have an opportunity to engage in projects that promote critical thinking, creativity, and skill building.
Jobs and Responsibilities
- Will work with teenagers in a computer lab setting
- Provide assistance in the use of hardware and software
- Ability to run a structured activity in the YOUmedia setting
Requirements
- Personal use of Web 2.0 technologies required;
- Familiarity with Mac operating systems required;
- Skills using new media tools such as iMovie, Finalcut Pro, Garage Band, Logic, Adobe CS4;
- Experience in one area of new media video production, graphic design, game design, or music production;
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
- Ability to work and problem solve independently and to meet deadlines; to prioritize and complete multiple tasks and
- Demonstrate experience, sensitivity and commitment to the needs of students;
Florida Department
- Flatten, describe, shelve and label the Florida map collection
- Scan Gleason Waite Romer images and other important rare materials (as needed)
- Receive, identify and organize the local document collection
Other types of programs and projects for internships will be considered based on need and participants ability and interests.
CONTACT: Candy Granda, Main Library-Interdepartmental Manager at grandac@mdpls.org
305-375-1031