Archival Internship - Israelite House of David's Archives & Collections (3/15/24)

Posted 1/9/25

Founded as a religious commune in 1903, the Israelite House of David was home to over 1,000 members at its peak in the 1920s. The community supported itself with numerous agricultural and industrial enterprises, as well as an amusement park, an exhibition baseball team, and professional touring bands. The colony played a pivotal role in the development of Southwest Michigan. Today, the colony now operates effectively as a historic trust, with the Archives & Collections established in 2021 to preserve the history of the House of David. Find more information at https://www.israelitehouseofdavid.org/.

The Israelite House of David Archives & Collections is accepting applications for one or two Archival Interns. The primary duty of the intern(s) will be to support the organization's efforts to organize and digitize its Communal Studies Collection.

Project Details:

The House of David Archives & Collections has been working to organize and digitize its Communal Studies Collection, which includes artifacts, objects, and archival material from various Shaker villages, as well from other communal societies such as the Oneida community, the Amana colonies, and others. While this project primarily focuses on our Shaker collection, interns will handle material from multiple communal societies. This project entails:

• Photographing Shaker objects and textiles
• Sorting, organizing, and storing printed and manuscript archival materials
• Digitization and cataloging of collections using Catalogit collections software
• Creation of collection guides for the Shaker collection
• Creating social media posts relating to project work
• Opportunity to write an article for publication or design a small display (Optional)

Internship Details:

• 12 week long internship
• Preferred start date of May 19, flexible
• Compensation of $15/hr with housing, $19/hr without housing
• Optional dormitory-style housing at a nearby college (3.7 mi away)
• 32 hours per week
• Optional funding to attend the 2025 Communal Studies Conference, October 9-11 in Amana, IA - mileage, hotel, and registration included

Qualifications

• Open to undergraduates, graduate students, and recent graduates in/from Museum Studies, Public History, History, Art History, Archival Science, Library and Information Science, or related program
• Strong interest in the history of communal societies, especially the Shakers

Preferred Skills and Proficiencies

• One year working or volunteering in a cultural institution
• Experience digitizing, using collection software, preferably CatalogIt or similar system
• Knowledge of the archival field

To apply, send a cover letter and resume to our Collections Manager, Ms. Olivia Beebe, at oliviab@israelitehouseofdavid.org

Deadline: March 15, 2025

Interviews will be conducted in early April

Accessibility Note:

Shiloh and Diamond House, two historic mansions where the Archives & Collections are housed, are only accessible through multiple staircases. Neither building has an elevator. There are also multiple cats on the premises, both in the buildings and on the grounds. Please note in your cover letter if either of these would be an issue, so accommodations can be discussed.