INTERNSHIP AT WELLSPRING FAMILY SERVICES

Here is a chance to set up an archive almost from scratch! Wellspring Family Services (formerly Family Services of King County) has recently relocated from our longtime Pioneer Square location, and are looking for an intern to help organize a small agency archive at our new locale in the Rainier Valley. We have accumulated a wide variety of documents and other archival materials from 1892 to the present, and we need help identifying what we have and setting up procedures for labeling, storage, retrieval, and display.

TASKS

Organize a private archive for a non-profit social service organization.

Materials include approximately 30 cubic feet of boxes containing: brochures, pamphlets, documents outlining services and policy, news clippings related to the organization, as well as some videos, film, audio recordings, photographs (some oversized), and miscellaneous items.

Create a basic, workable inventory system for ongoing maintenance by non-specialists.

Put collection into appropriate temporary storage.

Materials are currently in scrapbooks, plastic sleeves in binders, file folders, etc., inside moving boxes; current labeling is inconsistent and inadequate.

Safe permanent storage is a long-term goal; intern will advise on cost-effective storage systems for future purchase.

Budget of $500 available for supplies & materials; intern will advise on purchases.

Establish (and document) a basic identification, labeling, and retrieval system.

Establish (and document) systems for creating a digital image archive of key holdings.

Intern will train staff on identifying ‘key holdings’ and creating, naming, and storing digital images so that the project can go forward as time permits.

Consult on potential for display of materials.

Long-term plans include display cabinets for revolving display of documents items from the agency archive; intern will advise on cabinets, display techniques, etc.

TIMEFRAME

8 weeks, June-August 2010; start/end date and weekly schedule (approx. 30 hrs/wk) can be somewhat flexible

STIPEND

$1000

SUPERVISION

Overall project supervision from the agency’s Executive Assistant; the intern will work independently much of the time and should also be prepared to train staff in systems and procedures.

The ideal candidate will be a competent second-year graduate student with some experience, or a post-grad student looking for a short-term project.

APPLICATION

Please send letter of interest and qualifications to

Deborah Townsend

Wellspring Family Services

1900 Rainier Ave. S

Seattle, WA 98144

dtownsend@wellspringfs.org