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.
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 or a permanent resident (I-151 or I-551). Individuals on temporary visas are not eligible. Additionally, individuals must be authorized or eligible to work in the United States by law.
- Be enrolled in a degree-seeking program (AA/AS, BA/BS, Masters, JD, MD, or Ph.D.) at an accredited higher education institution during the internship, OR recent graduate of an institution described above, who graduated no more than one year prior to the start date of the internship.
- Have completed their freshman year of college before the internship begins.
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Be able to work full-time (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.
- 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 may be in-person, fully virtual or hybrid, depending on the office in which you are placed:
- 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 one of our own TWC intern spotlights to get behind-the-scenes insight!
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 $4,500-$11,000 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 interns who are selected for on-site or hybrid positions. 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.
Interns with on-site or hybrid positions can choose not to use the TWC provided housing. Instead, you may take the portion of the stipend reserved for housing and use that to acquire your own housing.
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
Fall 2024 (Virtual and in-person positions)
- Applications Accepted: March 20, 2024 – May 15, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EDT (priority deadline May 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET)
- Decision Notifications: Mid July 2024 (Applicants are notified when they are selected for interviews until all positions are filled or until mid July)
- Program Dates: September 3, 2024 – December 13, 2024 (subject to change)
Spring 2025 (Virtual, hybrid and in-person positions)
- Applications Accepted: August 8, 2024 – October 7, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET (priority deadline September 23, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET)
- Decision Notifications: Mid December 2024 (Applicants are notified when they are selected for interviews until all positions are filled or until mid December)
- Program Dates: January 27, 2025 – May 9, 2025 (subject to change)
Summer 2025 (Virtual, hybrid and in-person positions)
- Applications Accepted: November 14, 2024 – February 6, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET (priority deadline January 16, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET)
- Decision Notifications: Mid April 2025 (Applicants are notified when they are selected for interviews until all positions are filled or until mid April)
- Program Dates: June 2, 2025 – August 8, 2025 (subject to change)
Please reach out to federal@twc.edu if you have any questions.
How to Apply
Review the Application Documents section below to see what you'll need to submit with your application.
When you're ready to get started, create an account (or log in to your existing account) in the Program Application Portal. Select Library of Congress (LOCI) Internship Program from the list of available programs in the portal.
Do not contact Library of Congress staff directly about your application as it will result in you being removed from consideration due to equity concerns.
Register Your Interest
Interested in applying for a future semester? Want updates on webinars and application openings? Register your interest using the following form:
Please reach out to federal@twc.edu if you have any questions.
Application Documents
Below are the documents you’ll need to submit with your application. Please note that all documents must be saved as PDFs in order to upload them.
- Resume: Upload a maximum 2-page resume that outlines your education background, work experience, activities and honors or recognitions.
- Cover Letter: Submit a cover letter (one page maximum, single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, standard margins, PDF format) that addresses 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.
- Transcript: Both unofficial and official transcripts are accepted. Please ensure that your Social Security Number is crossed out on the submitted document.
- Proof of Citizenship or Permanent Residency: Proof of Citizenship includes either a scan of your U.S. passport, U.S. birth certificate or certificate of naturalization. Proof of permanent residency (I-151 or I-551) includes Permanent Resident Card (green card), form I-551 front and back, or foreign passport with I-551 stamp or MRIV.