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Ph.D. students in the humanities and social sciences who will be in the last year of their Ph.D. degree during the award year.

At this time, four David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library Internships are available: Advertising History Intern, Eleanore Jantz Processing and Cataloging Intern, Eleonore Jantz Curatorial Intern, and Eleonore Jantz Reference Intern.  These are nine-month internships, running through the fall and spring semesters. Each provides an annual stipend (equivalent to the Graduate School-recommended Arts and Sciences nine-month stipend established each year), as well as tuition and mandatory fees. In addition, The Graduate School will pay the health insurance premium for recipients who enroll in the Duke Student Medical Insurance Plan.

Established as a cooperative venture between the Duke University Libraries and the Graduate School, these internships offer hands-on experience in the acquisition of rare materials, the process of preparing them for use, and research and teaching with primary source materials. Past interns have used what they learned to develop new courses and assignments; to move into a career as a scholar, librarian, archivist or museum curator; and to publish original research drawn from RL collections. The Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library Interns work an average of 15 hours per week, including some evening hours in the case of the Reference Intern.

After appropriate training, interns will be responsible for the following functions:

  • The Eleanore Jantz Processing and Cataloging Intern will arrange and describe archives, manuscripts, or printed materials so that they can be preserved made available for research use. More information about the Rubenstein Library's Collections can be found on the library’s website.
  • The Eleanore Jantz Curatorial Intern will work with the Curator of Collections on research projects, activities that support the acquisition of new materials, and outreach to promote the Rubenstein Library's Collections.
  • The Eleanore Jantz Reference Intern will work with the Rubenstein Library Research Services department to provide reference services through remote platforms, in-person consultation, and regular reading room shifts; assist in preparing and leading instruction sessions with primary sources for undergraduates; and may participate in outreach, exhibits, and other activities to support the use of the Rubenstein's collections.

** The Advertising History Intern is not being offered for AY 26-27, due to budgetary concerns. 

The Rubenstein Library is a division within the Duke University Libraries, with locations on West Campus and at Smith Warehouse. The Rubenstein holds more than 500,000 rare books, more than 12,000 manuscript collections, and the University Archives. Its collections are international in scope and cover a wide range of subjects. Researchers from the local community and from around the world consult these collections either in person or through the Libraries’ digital collections. University classes meet regularly in the Rubenstein and incorporate rare materials in their coursework. Lectures, exhibitions, performances, screenings, and symposia invite the public to engage with the Rubenstein’s collections in new ways.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must have completed the preliminary exam by the end of the spring semester before the period covered by the award.
  • Applicants are expected to be in their final year of their doctoral program next academic year, during the term of the Rubenstein internships.
  • All positions require ability to work independently and efficiently after initial training; reliability; excellent communication skills; ability to work well with other staff members; interest in working with primary source materials.
  • Research experience or employment in a manuscript, archival, or rare book repository is desirable.
  • No other award (whether fellowship or training-related) may be held concurrently with this internship without special permission from the dean.

To Apply

You Need

  • Approval from your department (see step 1 below)
  • Your CV (PDF)
  • A copy of your current Duke transcript or DukeHub report (PDF)
  • Two letters of recommendation from your DGS and faculty advisor. If your DGS and faculty advisor are the same individual only one letter of recommendation is required.
  • A PDF file that includes, in the following order,
    • An application letter (in PDF format). This should be no more than 3 pages, using 1-inch margins, 1.5 line spacing, and Arial 12-point font.
    • OPTIONAL: You may also include an additional 1-page bibliography.
    • A list of three references.

Steps

  1. Get approval to apply from your department. Before you can submit your applications for this award to The Graduate School, you must first get approval from your director of graduate studies (DGS). Programs differ in how they choose their nominees. Check with your DGS.
  2. Once you have received approval from your DGS, go to The Graduate School’s fellowship application system to submit your application. | Application instructions (PDF)

Application Period

The application cycle opens in early October and closes in mid-November. Award recipients will be notified in spring semester. The Graduate School will announce exact dates closer to the start of the cycle, and they will be posted with the award listing on the school’s online application system.

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