Library of Congress Internships (LOCI) Program

Explore a fulfilling career at the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and the world’s largest library.

In this fully funded internship, you’ll work alongside Library of Congress employees to further the mission of the nation’s oldest cultural agency. The Library of Congress serves the Congress in fulfilling its duties and preserves and promotes knowledge and creativity for the benefit of the American people.

It is the world’s largest library, with more than 160 million items in its physical collections (including books, manuscripts, prints, photos, film, video, and sound recordings) and over 52 million items online. Located primarily on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the Library is the home of the U.S. Copyright Office, the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the Law Library of Congress, and the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

Learn more about the Library of Congress at loc.gov and email federal@twc.edu with questions. We also invite you to register for one of our informational sessions.

Information Sessions

Library of Congress Internships (LOCI) General Overview Webinar

April 27, 2022 | 4:00 p.m. EST

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CDC/LOCI/OCC Application Overview & Tips Webinar

May 3, 2022 | 4:00 p.m. EST

Program Description

This full-time and fully funded internship program provides unprecedented access to the Library of Congress' world-class collections and staff. Opportunities include a wide range of applied learning and career development placements that advance the academic and professional pursuits of undergraduate and graduate students.

The goals of these internships are to recruit diverse talent and to bring to light the collections that more fully represent the rich cultural heritage of the United States.

The LOCI program supports the Library in expanding recruitment of applicants from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU), and Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AAPISI). The assignments will span many professional fields at the Library, including information technology, human capital, event planning, communications, as well as collections support and research.

Eligibility

To be eligible to participate you must meet the following criteria:

Be a U.S. citizen.
Be enrolled in a degree-seeking program (AA/AS, BA/BS, Masters, JD, MD, or Ph.D.) at an accredited higher education institution, OR recent graduate of an institution described above, who graduated no more than one year prior to the start date of the internship.
Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Be able to work full-time (32-40 hours per week) for the duration of the internship. Negotiation of hours to part-time is not possible. Please only apply if you know that you can handle a full-time work schedule on top of any other responsibilities.
Be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Students participating in our Funded Federal Diversity programs are considered employees of The Washington Center and are required to be fully vaccinated to participate. Learn more about our COVID-19 policy
Have a confirmed interest in working with the Library of Congress.
Reside within the United States throughout the entire duration of the internship (if virtual).

Preferred majors include, but are not limited to:

Anthropology/Archaeology/History
Area Studies
Business Administration/Human Resources
Communications
Computer Science/Information Technology/Information Systems
Event Planning
International Affairs/Political Science
Library Science
Museum Studies/Collections Support and Research

Program Components

The Library of Congress Internships (LOCI) program is a 10-week Summer or 15-week Spring or Fall program in which you will work full-time, five days a week, assisting with a variety of projects assigned by your internship mentor. Assignments will span many professional fields at the Library; past placements have included:

Acquisitions and Bibliographic Access Directorate
American Archive of Public Broadcasting
Congressional Research Services
- Office of Legislative Information Services
- Office of Publishing
Copyright Office
General and International Collections Directorate
- African & Middle Eastern Division
- Asian Division
- Hispanic Division
- Research & Reference Services Division
- Science, Technology & Business Division
Law Library of Congress
National Library Service for Blind and Print Disabled
Office of Chief Information Officer

Interested in hearing accounts from former participants of the LOCI program? Read two different Intern spotlights on the Library’s blog: Intern Spotlight 1 and Intern Spotlight 2

Program Benefits

This is a fully funded program. Sponsorship covers the cost of the program, housing (if needed/when in-person is available), and roundtrip travel to and from the internship site city. You will be responsible for living expenses and local transportation. However, a stipend of $3,650-$9,461 will be provided to help alleviate these expenses. The final stipend amount is based on the length of the session and your decision to accept or reject TWC-organized housing.

In addition, various professional development sessions will be available to enhance students’ knowledge and marketability. The Washington Center organizes multiple hands-on experiences to prepare you for your career including Resume Review & Cover Letter Writing, LinkedIn Review, and Interviewing & Pitching Yourself. TWC also organizes networking opportunities during your internship and has highly active alumni networks of which you will be a part. The Library of Congress also prides itself on providing interns with additional professional development opportunities including Employee Panels and explorative tours of the Library of Congress.

Housing and Living

Fully furnished housing near the internship site is provided by TWC for all participants who need it. Housing accommodations can, and typically do, require shared-living arrangements with other interns. Every effort is made to arrange housing near essential amenities like grocery stores, public transit and medical facilities.

Please note that the Summer 2022 session will be virtual. Fall 2022 format is TBD.

Academic Credit

You may be eligible to receive academic credit for your participation in this program. However, credits are determined and awarded by each university. You are responsible for arranging any academic credit through your college or university. You should discuss arrangements with your institution, prior to starting the program and let TWC know the specific requirements of your university.

Dates and Deadlines

Summer 2022 (Virtual)

Application Opening: February 24, 2022
Application Deadline: March 7, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. ET *note that the application will be closed upon all positions being filled.
Decision Notifications: Early April 2022
Program Dates: June 6, 2022 – August 12, 2022

Fall 2022 (Format TBD)

Applications Accepted: April 6 - July 1, 2022 (Applications are reviewed as they are received until all positions are filled.)
Decision Notifications: Now to late July 2022 (Applicants are notified when they are selected for interviews until all positions are filled or until late July 2022.)
Program Dates: August 29, 2022 – December 9, 2022

How to Apply

Register Your Interest

Interested in applying for a future semester? Want updates on webinars and application openings? Register your interest using the following form:

PROGRAM INTEREST FORM

Please reach out to federal@twc.edu if you have any questions.

Apply Now

Applications for Fall 2022 are now open!

Please review the information below prior to submitting your application. Proper completion is critical to your application being considered for review.

APPLY NOW

Application Instructions

Go to www.twc.edu/apply and login or register as a new user.
Under Start a New Application, click Internship.
Once you’re in the application, select Federal Diversity Internship Initiative from the dropdown list.
Once you select a year and term, a checkbox for each program will appear. Check the appropriate box for the federal agency you are applying to.

From there, complete all parts of the application. Here are some helpful tips:

Personal Information

Proof of Citizenship: You are not required to provide proof of citizenship at the time of application.
Social Security Number: If you do not feel comfortable entering your Social Security number, please use 111-11-1111.
Financial Assistance: All students should select “No” at this time. Our federal internships are fully funded.

Application Documents

Statement of Interest: You must clearly state which agency you are applying to. Carefully review the instructions before clicking the “Upload” button to attach your chosen document. If you do not receive a prompt for a federal agency statement, please reach out to federal@twc.edu so that we can assist.
Letters of Recommendation: Letters of recommendation are not required for this application. Please input your own email address so that you may move to the next page.

TWC Policies

Internship Policy and Housing Policy: This policy does not apply to this program, but you must check the box to move forward in the application.
Federal Diversity Internship Initiative Policy This section applies to your application. Please check the box if you agree.
Financial Assistance Policy: This policy does not apply to this program, but you must check the box to move forward in the application.

Submit Application

There is no application fee for this program. If you are prompted about a payment, please reach out to federal@twc.edu.

Application Documents

You will need to submit the following documents along with your application:

Resume: Submit a max 2-page resume in PDF format reflecting relevant work experience, volunteerism, awards, leadership, extra-curricular activities, research, and academic experiences. Your resume must include your GPA and your current contact information including email address, home address and telephone number.
Transcript: Submit your most recent transcript. Both unofficial and official transcripts are accepted. Please ensure that your Social Security Number is crossed out on the submitted document.
Statement of Interest: In a maximum 300-word statement in PDF Format, please address your specific interest in interning with the Library of Congress, along with what skills and experiences you have that make you a unique candidate. Rather than repeating your resume, you should describe why you want to intern at the Library of Congress, what skills and knowledge you have that has prepared you for this opportunity, and what you hope to gain from this experience.