Internship
To US librarians an internship implies a person will receive training
and instruction, and apply them in practical work or a project. It also
implies a long-term stay, perhaps three to six months. For the typical
institution this means a considerable amount of time and effort is
spent by the library staff in training the intern. This is naturally a
wonderful thing for the recipient but may represent a significant
burden for institutions. The library will not be able to recover the
staff time spent in training an inexperienced intern through
contributed employment over three months. For budgetary reasons and US
immigration laws, it is highly unlikely an intern will receive any pay.
The applicant and the hosting institution must also comply with current
US immigration laws and file documents with the U.S. government. Some
of
these processes may be handled by the hosting institution or third
parties such as the Council on International Educational Exchange
(CIEE). A person seeking an internship should begin at least six months
prior to the internship. Eight months is a better plan.
Professional Exchange
In this arrangement, two individuals and their institutions agree to
move the librarians between two institutions on a temporary basis.
Arrangements require agreements on details including time, salaries,
responsibilities, etc. US immigration laws still apply. This
arrangement implies the individuals are already highly skilled and
experienced.
Professional Visits
Organizations may sponsor visits for employed professionals.
Note this Web page for the US Embassy in Paris:
http://www.amb-usa.fr/offices/ca.htm
Student Exchanges
If you are a university student you should inquire with your
institution about existing relationships with other universities in the
United States. There are many possibilities for student exchanges.
These web pages provides some information on exchanges and visas.
Council on International
Educational
Exchange (CIEE)
http://www.ciee.org/
US Embassy in Berlin
http://www.usembassy.de/germany/exchanges/
Official Tour
Libraries may be receptive to travelling groups wishing to visit a
particular library or group of institutions for orientations or
briefings. Arrangements and dates should be agreed upon before you
depart for the United States.
Visit
If you are travelling to the United States on a tourist visa many
libraries will be receptive to a person's request for an informal visit
and tour. Every library has different circumstances so it is best to
arrange for this in advance or the library may not be able to
accommodate your request. Most libraries are open to the public but
some will have unique services or restrictions.
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Deutcher Akademischer Austausch Dienst/German Academic Exchange Service
http://www.daad.de/de/index.html
Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE)
http://www.ciee.org/
US Embassy in Berlin
http://www.usembassy.de/germany/exchanges/
US Embassy in Paris:
http://www.amb-usa.fr/offices/ca.htm
hank.harken@asu.edu
Subject: US Libraries
This person will transmit your request to the WESS email discussion list and send you a copy of the posted message. A WESS member and their institution will contact you if they wish to discuss your request.
It is recommended that you supply information in your request to help the US librarians/libraries decide to contact you including: what kind of experience you are seeking, the desired duration, type of library being sought, geographic preferences (if applicable), the kind of library work you want to do or observe (specific or general), what experience you have in libraries and any special skills you possess which libraries would find useful.
For longer term experiences, you should expect libraries to request a
formal application letter with details on your professional or career
objectives, and a résumé (curriculum vitae,
Lebenslauf, etc). Among other requirements, they may ask for letters of
recommendation, information about your current institution,
correspondence from your current institution, and a telephone interview
with you.
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Revised 3 August 2006