Student Employment
Whether you want to get a jump-start on your career or need extra money for school, you will find a wide range of student employment opportunities in the WashU Libraries. Our student workers typically report that the experience and contacts they have made are very helpful when looking for full-time employment after graduation.
Open Student Positions
Under the supervision of the head of data services and the mentorship of the digital humanities librarian, the Digital Humanities (DH) Scholar will work on DH projects for the Libraries, participate in the Humanities Digital Workshop (HDW), and engage in the greater DH community. The scholar is expected to contribute to at least one Libraries’ project and complete a capstone project based on their own interests.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities
- Digital Humanities Projects for the libraries
- Participate in Humanities Digital Workshop
- Capstone Project
- Engage with the greater Digital Humanities community
This position works with library staff and mainly performs collection shelving and stack maintenance. The position will cover the circulation desk when needed. Other duties might be assigned.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities
- Collection shelving and stack maintenance
- Learns the Library of Congress Classification System and shelves books in the proper call number order efficiently and accurately
- Conducts regular stack maintenance, such as dusting and straightening shelves
- Performs special collection re-shifting projects as assigned
- Circulation desk services
- Provides general circulation services such as item check-out and in, and answers routine reference questions
- Assists users with using the library catalog and locating library materials
- Assists users with using the library space, public printer, and other equipment
- Other duties as assigned
Special Skills
- Chinese/Japanese/Korean language skills
- Must be able to climb stairs frequently and to lift and carry up to 30 pounds
- Able to learn and understand the Library of Congress Classification
- A public service orientation and timely attendance
- An effective communicator with a diverse range of users
- Basic computer skills
- Previous library experience and/or Chinese/Japanese/Korean Studies subject area knowledge is a plus
The Kartemquin Collection Intern will work collaboratively with staff across the Special Collections, Preservation, and Digital Strategies Division to support access and engagement with the Kartemquin Collection.
The intern will provide enhanced descriptions to and help coordinate the digitization of collection materials prioritized by the Curator of Film & Media. The intern will also work closely with the Curator and Instruction & Outreach Archivist to develop outreach resources, including news articles, social media content, guides, and/or catalogs.
The intern may also support programming and exhibition development (physical & digital) as needed.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities
- Assists with processing and digitization of prioritized paper-based materials, which includes enhanced description, rehousing, and metadata support.
- Works with the Instruction & Outreach Archivist and Curator to develop outreach resources, including articles, social media content, guides, and/or catalogs.
- Supports Curator and Exhibitions staff on physical/digital exhibition development, screenings, and other programming.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Special Skills
- This position requires strong research, writing, and communication skills, as well as attention to detail; the ability to work independently, yet be willing to take direction.
- Responsible for working independently in secure spaces, following security protocols.
- Experience handling fragile materials preferred.
The Student Processing Assistant assists with the organization and processing of the Lewis A. Levey Family Collection on Sports and Culture under the direction of the Project Archivist. This position involves working with a variety of materials, including paper, photographs, textiles, and sports equipment, to ensure that collections are properly arranged, described, and accessible for researchers.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities
- Assisting in physically organizing and arranging materials within the collection in chronological, alphabetical, or other order, following established standards and procedures.
- Labeling and re-housing of materials in appropriate storage containers to ensure preservation and long-term accessibility.
- Data entry into archival management systems/spreadsheets
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Special Skills
Meticulous attention to detail. Ability to handle materials carefully, work in secure areas, and follow security protocols. Strong organizational skills and the capacity to work independently on repetitive tasks. Ability to follow established standards and procedures. Familiarity with archival standards and best practices is a plus, but training will be provided. Computer literacy and basic knowledge of office software (Microsoft Office, Box). Neat penmanship. Ability to lift boxes weighing up to 40 lbs.
Student Digitization Assistants will support the digitization of physical materials and the description, presentation, and preservation of the resulting digital files. Primary duties include following established procedures for preparing, handling, and photographing rare materials, as well as tracking project progress. As needed, Student Digitization Assistants will also ingest, transform, describe, and transcribe digital objects. This role requires flexibility in shifting between tasks, punctuality and reliability during scheduled shifts, and the ability to work precisely, efficiently, and collegially. Student Digitization Assistants will gain hands-on experience with handling archival materials, 2D imaging, working in networked computing environments, metadata creation, imaging software, Python scripting, and other specialized tools. Training will be provided on the job, with opportunities to participate in campus events as they arise.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities
- Assists in the creation of digital surrogates and ensures digital images meet preservation quality standards as established within the department, including lighting, focus, and completeness
- Assists in image post-processing, including creation of archival and access level digital assets, carrying out and assisting with other post-processing tasks (such as quality control), following digitization workflows, guidelines, and other documentation related to digitization and project management
- Assists with metadata creation for digital projects. Performs other duties as assigned
Special Skills
- Familiarity with still-image digitization, photography, and/or Capture One software is desired but not required
- Equipment and software training are provided
- Applicant must be able to work independently and stay focused on repetitive tasks