Hemingway House Preservation Intern

Hemingway House Preservation Intern
The Jeanne Rodger Lane Center for Regional History
 

POSITION INFORMATION
Title: Hemingway House Preservation Intern
Type: part-time, non-exempt, seasonal position
Location: Ketchum, Idaho
Reports to: Mary Tyson, Director of the Center for Regional History
Compensation: $16/hour
Benefits: none
Special Instructions: successful candidates must be able to complete a criminal background check.
 

JOB SUMMARY
The Community Library Center for Regional History in Ketchum, Idaho, seeks a summer intern to work in collections research and care specifically in our Hemingway House collections. The Library stewards the Ernest and Mary Hemingway House and Preserve, and the Center for Regional History’s goal is to complete an inventory of the House collections in the next two years. The intern’s work will directly advance this goal. Photo documentation is part of the process. The intern will have the opportunity to learn how to take museum quality photos. The preservation work on the historic house makes a substantial difference in our ability to interpret Mary and Ernest Hemingway’s relationship with Idaho and Idahoans. Project possibilities include (but are not limited to):
• Historical Furniture. Work on preservation of Hemingway House furniture. Using museum best practices, add metadata to the inventory database, assist with condition reporting, document with a camera, digitize, and research of provenance and relevant history.
• Kitchen, Laundry Room, and Bedrooms. Complete work on collection care of Mary and Ernest’s kitchen collection, laundry room collection, and bedroom collections. Assist with the preservation and identification. Add descriptive metadata using museum best practices. Use PastPerfect software. Make condition reports, digitize, and catalog.
• Photo documentation: Assist in the photographic work for Hemingway House objects that are not yet photo documented. Learn to set up a shot with the right lighting for multiple views for museum quality photos. Become comfortable with a digital camera.
 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Perform detailed collections metadata entry, cataloging, and record-keeping
• Process digital image files to be uploaded to the database
• Handle historical materials and artifacts carefully and responsibly
• Assist with physical organization and housing of a variety of Hemingway objects
• Write interpretive text of collection objects for museum labels

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS
Physical requirements and working conditions will depend on the project selected. The project can be designed to provide reasonable accommodations for disabilities.
 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Some college-level coursework in history, humanities, environmental studies, literature, or related field
• Strong interest in history education, museum operations, and archival work
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Strong computer skills, including demonstrated experience with Google Drive, Microsoft Office
• Demonstrated ability to learn about new processes and concepts to complete a project
• Demonstrated ability to support an environment of diversity and inclusion consistent with the library’s aims
• Bilingual skills in English and Spanish preferred, but not required
 

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
To apply, please email a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references as PDF attachments to bringit@comlib.org. Please use the subject line “Hemingway House Preservation Intern: first name, last name.” In the cover letter, please describe your interest in Hemingway, public history, and/or interest in Idaho history. Include what skills you hope to develop through the course of the internship. Applications will be reviewed beginning April 5. Please direct all inquiries to bringit@comlib.org.