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Teen Internship Grant Program

Teen Internship Grant Program

WSL Teen Internship Grant Program

A group of teens of varying abilities, races, and religions celebrate together. Text reads: Washington State Library Teen Internship Grant Program. The Washington State Library and Institute of Museum and Libray Services logos are embedded.
Supported by funding provided by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Library Services and Technology Act, through the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.

Intern Hiring Guidance

The intention behind this internship program is to work with a teen in your community who will benefit the most from being involved, and who will positively impact the library and library staff mentor. Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate the intent to hire an intern from an under-served community or who might not have the opportunity to volunteer/intern at the library otherwise. When hiring, consider the following:

1. Create a rubric of what you are looking for in an intern that goes beyond just finding the "best" person for the job, or picking your favorite existing volunteer. Some questions to keep in mind:

  • Who would be most positively impacted by a paid internship at the library?
  • Who would benefit most from having the experience of seeing themselves as belonging at and working in the library?
  • Whose input, assets, and unique point of view would most benefit the library?

2. Remember that your intern will not only be assisting/working at the library, but working on a Connected Learning project with your mentorship. You will want to find someone with interests and passions that can lead to a project that benefits the library, the community, and themselves. They don't need to have all the skills necessary to complete the project -- that's what your guidance and the intern process is for!

3. Consider where you advertise your internship opportunity. Are you communicating the opportunity to under-served groups in your community? In places where teens hang out or have connections? To folks who don't already use the library or volunteer?

4. Consider using the hiring resources in the Inclusive Internship Initiative Toolkit to guide your process. The toolkit includes recruitment ideas, the interview process, hiring resources, and more.