Job Description

Diverse BookFinder Graduate Internship

Job no: 492959

Work type: Temporary

Location: Lewiston, ME

Categories: Academic Affairs: Academic Programs and Departments

Interns will work with the DBF team of librarians, faculty, children’s book authors/illustrators, and publishing professionals. The DBF is an online, searchable database designed to facilitate the discoverability and exploration of multicultural children’s books. Our goal is to diversify and balance bookshelves everywhere so that all our children can find themselves reflected and celebrated in libraries, schools, and homes across the nation.

Key Accountabilities:

This internship is unpaid and to be used for program credit. 

Under the supervision of the Project Coordinator/Editorial Manager, the Intern will work in two main areas: 1) collection development and 2) social media content creation. 

Collection Development Tasks:

Utilize vendor services, professional tools, nontraditional resources, and professional judgment to evaluate and select children’s booksto maintain and grow the Diverse BookFinder collection.

Identify and request items promptly; familiarity with online selection tools is preferred.

Maintain good communication and relationships with publisher contacts and establish new ones as necessary.

Respond to collection-related questions from DBF audience/users and publishers/distributors.

Maintain collection-related databases -- including acquired titles, titles to acquire (through both purchase and donation), and publisher contacts.

Evaluate and suggest new collection development tools and services that may improve or streamline processes.

Assist with creating, maintaining, and updating collection policies, procedures, and guidelines.

Social Media Tasks:

Promote the DBF's work, events, and mission-related initiatives.

Highlight the accomplishments and milestones of partner org's doing DBF mission-related work.

Grow our audience.

Design & share relevant, creative, and engaging content for all DBF social media platforms.

Create a regular publishing schedule & implement an editorial calendar to manage content and plan specific, timely campaigns.

Review national, state, and local news sources re: diverse book advocacy to select content to share.

Review Facebook and Instagram feeds related to the diverse books movement for content to repost.

Build awareness of DBF tools, services, and research/data with online audiences.

Compile reports for the team showing results using Google Analytics, FB analytics, and Instagram Analytics.

Qualifications:

Education

Candidates must be enrolled in an ALA-accredited LIS program and use this internship opportunity for credit or to fulfill program requirements. 

Experience

We seek candidates with a critical understanding of race, culture, and power and a strong interest in applying this knowledge to analyses of BIPOC representation in picture books. Candidates who can enhance the diversity of our team are encouraged to apply.

Skills and Knowledge

Commitment to equity and inclusion, and serving the needs of a culturally and educationally diverse community.

Demonstrate the ability to work effectively -- independently and as part of a team.

Demonstrate a professional, positive, cooperative, team-oriented working relationship with colleagues.

Must exhibit effective communication and interpersonal skills.

Ability to demonstrate initiative and flexibility.

Minimum commitment of one term (summer, fall, spring semester options).

A minimum of 60 hours over the term and maximum hours to be determined by interns’ program requirements; a minimum of 10 hours/week. 

Weekly check-ins via Zoom, midterm, and end-of-term reflective writing.

Advertised: 3 Feb 2025

Applications Close: 1 Mar 2025

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