Junior Fellows Program - Library of Congress

The Library of Congress Junior Fellows Program is a paid, 10-week annual summer internship program that enables undergraduate, graduate students, and recent graduates to experience the integrated analog and digital collections and services of the world's largest, all-inclusive library.

Working under the direction of Library curators and specialists in various divisions, Junior Fellows explore digital initiatives and increase access to the institution’s unparalleled collections and resources. Junior Fellows are exposed to a broad spectrum of library work, including: copyright, preservation, reference, access, and information technology.

In the past, Junior Fellows have identified hundreds of historical, literary, artistic, cinematic and musical gems representing the Library’s rich cultural, creative and intellectual assets. No previous experience is necessary, but fellowships are competitive and special skills or knowledge are usually desired. Selections are based on narrative responses to vacancy announcement questions, reference calls, and an interview with a selection official.

The Junior Fellows Program, a signature initiative of the Library of Congress since 1991, is made possible by a gift from the late James Madison Council member Nancy Glanville Jewell through the Glanville Family Foundation and the Knowledge Navigators Trust Fund and by an investment from the Mellon Foundation.

Program Focus

The focus of the program is to increase access to special, legal and copyright collections, and to promote awareness and appreciation of the Library's services to researchers including Congressional members, scholars, students, teachers, and the general public. Junior Fellows encourage the use of collections and services − ensuring that the Library of Congress is known as a living, dynamic center for scholarly work and meaningful connections.

Program participants inventory, catalog, arrange, preserve, and research collections in varied formats, as well as assist in digital library initiatives. Upon completion of their assignments, Junior Fellows work closely with Library curators and specialists to plan and present a display of their most significant discoveries and accomplishments.

Of the People: Widening the Path

The Junior Fellows Program is an internship within Of the People: Widening the Path, a multi-year initiative that creates new opportunities for more Americans to engage with the Library of Congress and to add their perspectives to the Library’s collections, allowing the national library to share a more inclusive American story.

Supported by an institutional grant from the Mellon Foundation, Of the People: Widening the Path promotes outreach, technology innovation, and archives development for, and by, Black, Hispanic or Latino, Indigenous, and communities of color historically underrepresented in the United States and in the Library’s collections.

Under the direction of the 14th Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden, and in response to the national conversation about civil rights, the Library continues to re-imagine how it can address the unequal ways in which libraries, archives, and schools preserve and present the American story.

As part of the Library’s vision to connect all Americans and to empower new generations and diverse audiences to explore its enduring treasury of information, Of the People will enhance and support diverse and inclusive participation in the creation and perpetuation of the nation’s historical and creative record.

The deadline is November 27, 2023. To apply, click here