Project-Oriented Medical Library Internships: Perspectives from the USC Norris Medical Library
By Christina Mayberry
Information Specialist
USC Norris Medical Library
cmayberr@usc.edu, 323-442-1972
Internships are great opportunities, both for the library and the student. Project-centered internships are often very beneficial since the student gains practical experience while the library enhances its available services and resources. Some examples of possible projects include:
- curriculum development, script creation, and course instruction for user education
- weeding, collection development policy revisions, bibliography creation, and specialty area development
- organization and accessibility of electronic resources (taxonomies, usability)
For example, during the latter half of 2001, the USC Norris Medical Library provided internship opportunities for two students from the Department of Information Studies at UCLA. Dominique Turnbow worked on multiple projects: site map creation and usability testing for the Keck School of Medicine Web site, an evaluation of the electronic resources pages available on the Internet from the library's Web page, and development and implementation of a bibliographic instruction class for Dreamweaver in cooperation with the other intern, Natalie Kamper. Natalie also participated in user education by providing instruction and assistance in curriculum development for database searching and productivity software classes. The bibliographic instruction class developed jointly by the two interns was designed for Dreamweaver, a software program designed to enable the user to "create, build, and manage websites and Internet applications" (http://www.macromedia.com/software/dreamweaver/). Course development included creation of an instructor script, handouts, and a demonstration Web site.
These two interns provided invaluable assistance on their respective projects. The library was able to enhance its available services and resources. The Keck School of Medicine Web site has been redesigned since the Web usability study was conducted. The Dreamweaver course is now taught multiple times every semester and is very popular. Without the work performed during these internships, it would have taken the library longer to implement necessary additions to its array of services and resources.
Internships also provide students with unique outside-of-the-classroom learning experiences. Internships are a good way to put into practice what has been learned in the classroom. They give students the opportunity to test out their own ideas and views based upon what they have learned and to apply these ideas to a real world setting. Students get the chance to experience a new organizational culture. Internships play a major role in the socialization of new professionals as they transition from student roles to employee roles. Finally, internships look good on résumés, build professional self-confidence, and help students make specific career choices.
If your library is interested in providing an internship opportunity for a graduate student in a library and information science program, please contact the following:
San Jose State University, School of Library and Information Science
California State University at Fullerton
Dr. Feili Tu, Medical Informatics, 408-924-2416, feilitu@wahoo.sjsu.edu (San Jose and Fullerton)
Practicum Contacts:
Blanche Woolls, 408-924-2490, bwoolls@wahoo.sjsu.edu (San Jose)
Elizabeth Martinez, 714-278-2064, emfuture@hotmail.com (Fullerton)
URL: http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/classes/practicums.htm
UCLA Department of Information Studies
Keri Botello, Internship Coordinator
310-206-9392, kbotello@ucla.edu
URL: http://is.gseis.ucla.edu/internship/
University of Arizona, School of Information Resources & Library Science
Lisa Hussey, Program Manager
520-621-3565, lhussey@u.arizona.edu
URL: http://www.sir.arizona.edu/courses/indiv_st.html
University of Hawaii, Library and Information Science Program
Dr. Diane Nahl, Program Chair
808-956-5809, nahl@hawaii.edu
URL: http://www.hawaii.edu/slis/courses/690/
[Editor's Note: Dominique Turnbow graduated in June 2002 and is now Virtual Services Librarian at the Irving P. Ackerman M.D. Health Sciences Library at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. Natalie Kamper graduated in June 2002 and is now an Associate Fellow at the National Library of Medicine. Christina Mayberry also is a recent graduate; she joined the Norris Medical Library staff in August 2002.]