The Disciples of Christ Historical Society (DCHS) seeks an MLIS student for a Summer 2026 internship. The mission of DCHS is to preserve and proclaim the story of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) within the broader Stone-Campbell tradition from which it grows. We believe that denominational archives like ours are not only repositories for documents, artifacts, and ideas but, at their best, they are sources for the church’s work for justice and wholeness in the world. We are committed to stewarding a collection that documents the racial and ethnic diversity of the Stone-Campbell movement.
The Summer 2026 DCHS internship requires a two-month (approximately 320 hours) commitment, commencing in June 2026. Interns may choose either an on-site or a hybrid experience. The on-site portion of the internship (approximately 240 hours) will focus on archival arrangement and description. The intern will process or reprocess two or more collections documenting the racial and ethnic diversity of the Stone-Campbell movement. Under the guidance of the senior archivist, the intern will acquire hands-on experience with:
- Assessing unprocessed or underprocessed collections
- Writing a processing plan
- Arranging and rehousing collection materials
- Using ArchivesSpace to create a finding aid compliant with DACS and local descriptive practices
The remote portion of the internship (approximately 80 hours) will support the development of a collecting partnership with a Disciples-related institution. The intern will research the institution’s history and identify other archives that hold its records. The intern will also search the archival literature for articles about successful collecting partnerships between archives and underdocumented communities. This portion of the internship will be supervised by the associate archivist and may be completed on-site if the intern prefers.
Requirements:
- Current enrollment in an MLIS/MLS/MIS program
- Completion of one archives-focused graduate-level course
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Interest in working with archival materials that document the experiences of underrepresented groups
- Interest in the development and implementation of sustainable collection stewardship practices in a small repository
- Working knowledge of DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard)
- Working knowledge of common software applications, including MS Word, Excel, Google Docs, and Google Drive
The on-site portion of the internship will occur during DCHS’s regular operating hours: Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. The remote portion of the internship generally allows for flexible scheduling. However, virtual meetings between the intern and the archives team will occur during DCHS’s regular operating hours.
The DCHS is located in Bethany, WV. The internship stipend is $6500. Temporary housing in Bethany may be available for about $1000 per month. Personal transportation is strongly recommended.
To apply for the internship, please email a PDF resume and cover letter explaining your interest in the position to [email protected]. Use the subject line “2026 Archives Internship.” Review of applications will begin April 6, 2026.