2026 Junior Fellows Program - ONSITE INTERNSHIP
2026 Junior Fellows Program - Onsite Internship
Program Overview
The Library of Congress Junior Fellows Program (JFP) is a paid, 10-week annual summer internship program that enables undergraduate, graduate students, and recent graduates to gain career experience by working with analog and digital collections and supporting the services of the world's largest library.
Working with curators and specialists in various divisions, Junior Fellows explore collections, resources, and initiatives and produce products that position the Library of Congress as a dynamic center for fostering innovation, sparking creativity, and building lifelong connections.
With guidance from mentors, Junior Fellows are exposed to a broad spectrum of library work, including: reference, archives, public programming, copyright, preservation, and information technology.
JFP projects increase useability Library of Congress collections and promote awareness of the Library's resources to Congress and people across America.
In the past, Junior Fellows have identified and interpreted hundreds of historical, literary, artistic, cinematic and musical gems representing the Library’s rich creative and intellectual assets.
No previous experience is necessary, but internships are competitive and special skills or knowledge are usually desired. Selections are based on narrative responses to vacancy announcement questions, reference calls, and an interview with a selection official.
The Junior Fellows Program, a signature initiative of the Library of Congress since 1991, is made possible by gifts from the late James Madison Council member Nancy Glanville Jewell through the Glanville Family Foundation, the Knowledge Navigators Trust Fund, the Library Internship and Fellowship Trust Fund, and the Mellon Foundation.
Program Focus
The focus of the program is to increase useability of Library collections and to promote awareness and appreciation of the Library's services to Congressional members, scholars, students, teachers, and the general public. Junior Fellows encourage the use of collections and services − ensuring that the Library of Congress is known as a living, dynamic center for scholarly work and meaningful connections.
Program participants inventory, catalog, arrange, preserve, and research collections in varied formats, as well as assist in digital and analog library initiatives. Upon completion of their assignments, Junior Fellows work closely with Library curators and specialists to plan and present a display of their most significant discoveries and accomplishments.
Watch the Junior Fellows Program 2025 Highlight Video to learn more:
Library of Congress Junior Fellows Display Day Overview
Prepare to apply for JFP26 by reading this How to Apply guide
Onsite Projects for JFP 2026
For complete ONSITE PROJECT details, please visit the JFP website.
Interns will complete the following 24 onsite projects during JFP 2026. All work for these projects will be completed entirely onsite within the Library’s Capitol Hill campus with the exception of projects 4 and 5. All work for projects 4 and 5 will be completed onsite in the Library’s National Audio-Visual Conservation Center in Culpeper, Virginia.
Each intern will be assigned to work on one project as their primary responsibility, alongside other assignments that will introduce them to the range of Library activity. Applicants will be asked to select their top three project choices in the application.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Once selected and hired for the internship, every effort will be made to accommodate project selections. Due to the popularity of some areas of interest, preferred project placement cannot be guaranteed. All project areas may not be available at the time applicants are selected and others may be added. Applicants should be sure to indicate three project areas of interest within their applications.
- Economic Research on Copyright and Creative Industries (Onsite)
- Enhancing Access to Posters (Onsite)
- Descriptive Cataloging for the Ilmar Mikiver Estonian Collection Materials (Onsite)
- Office of War Information Collection Lacquer Processing (Onsite - Culpeper)
- Universal Music Group Collection Lacquer Processing (Onsite - Culpeper)
- A Nation Changed: Preserving the 9/11 Newspaper Collection (Onsite)
- Sharing the Work of the Conservation Division (Onsite)
- Illuminating Provenance: Capture and Catalogue of Historic Watermarks (Onsite)
- Collections Preservation: Tangible Media and Digital Forensics (Onsite)
- Visions of Modernity: Documenting 20th - Century Chinese Magazines and Journals (Onsite)
- Enhancing Accessibility to an Ephemeral South Asia (Onsite)
- Governing by Edict: Recording Legal Enactments of Pre-Revolutionary France (Onsite)
- Organizing the Austro-Hungarian Empire: Creation of a Spatial Search Application (Onsite)
- Inventorying Photographs of Political Development Moments in Sub-Saharan Africa (Onsite)
- Mary Wolfskill Internship, Manuscript Reading Room (Onsite)
- Hidden Voices: The Hebraic Pamphlets and Booklets Collection (Onsite)
- Elizabeth Brown Pryor Internship, Manuscript Division Reading Room (Onsite)
- Reconstituting Gao Hongcai’s Collection of Chinese Shandong Gazetteers (Onsite)
- Exploring, Evaluating, and Enhancing Discoverability of Microfilm Resources (Onsite)
- Providing Access to American History (Onsite)
- Yiddish Bibliographic Records Metadata Enhancement Project (Onsite)
- Finding our Place in the Cosmos with the Carl Sagan Book Collection (Onsite)
- Providing Access via Descriptive Cataloging for Yudin Russian Collection (Onsite)
- The Source for Teens: Engaging Teen Audiences in The Source: Creative Research Studio for Kids (Onsite)
Compensation: : These internships are full-time, temporary staff positions at the GS-03/step 1 level. Onsite: $17.61 per hour for 10 weeks, 40 hours per week. Remote: $17.00 - $18.79 per hour for 10 weeks, 40 hours per week. Rates are subject to variations based on federal cost of living adjustments and differences in locality pay area rates for the current year.
Academic Credit: The Library does not provide academic credit, but you may arrange with your school in advance to receive credit.
Available Benefits: Onsite interns are eligible for transit benefits.
Program Duration: Short-term. Short-term. Full Time. 10-week summer internship appointment. Program dates: May 18, 2026 to July 24, 2026.
Qualifications: Must be currently enrolled at time of application at the undergraduate or graduate level, AND/OR have graduated or will graduate between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025.
Selection Process:
Applications will be forwarded to selecting officials in the Library who will arrange telephone, Zoom or MS Teams interviews with promising applicants. Letters of recommendation are not required for this application. After completion of the selection process, those selected will be provided with detailed information on reporting for their internship.
A complete application package consists of: 1) resume; 2): legible copy of latest college/university transcripts, and 3): responses to vacancy questions. Note: All items must be submitted through USAJOBS during the open application period. Follow the JFP26 Onsite and JFP26 Remote links to apply. Incomplete application packages will not be considered.
Requirements:
Conditions of employment
All projects require basic knowledge of Microsoft Office programs.
MUST be a U.S. citizen. Permanent residents are ineligible for consideration.
MUST be a U.S. citizen currently enrolled at time of application in a degree-granting program of study at an accredited institution of higher learning at the undergraduate level (college, university, or tribal college), or graduate level, AND/OR have graduated or will graduate between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025.
MUST be a first- time participant in the Junior Fellows Program.
MUST be able to commute to a Library of Congress facility in Washington, DC or Culpeper, VA (Projects 4 and 5) to conduct work duties for the duration of the internship.
MUST be available to attend mandatory orientation on Monday, May 18, 2026. NO EXCEPTIONS.
MUST be available to work Monday – Friday during the Junior Fellow Program’s core business hours 6:30 am – 6:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.
Note: Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library. In addition, past drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.
Qualifications:
1. Must be a U.S. citizen. Permanent residents are ineligible for consideration.
2. MUST be a U.S. citizen currently enrolled at time of application in a degree-granting program of study at an accredited institution of higher learning at the undergraduate level (college, university, or tribal college), or graduate level, AND/OR have graduated or will graduate between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025.
3. MUST BE AVAILABLE TO REPORT TO WORK ONSITE FOR FULL TEN WEEK PERIOD from May 18 through July 24. MUST be available to attend mandatory orientation on Monday, May 18, 2026. NO EXCEPTIONS.
4. Must be available to work a full-time schedule, Monday – Friday during the Junior Fellow Program’s core business hours: 6:30 am – 6:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.
5. MUST be able to commute to the Library of Congress main campus in Washington, DC or Culpeper, VA (Projects 4 and 5) to conduct work duties for the duration of the internship.
6. Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of a personnel security/suitability investigation. Note: If selected, you must assist us to expedite processing of your application by responding quickly (within one week) to the Personnel Security Department. It is your responsibility to meet the concrete deadlines set forth under this announcement. It is also your responsibility to ensure that you respond and complete the necessary components of the background investigation within the given timeframe.
7. Resume.
8. Responses to all Vacancy Questions.
9. Latest transcript from the current or most recently attended college or university, official registrar documentation certifying enrollment in Fall 2025, certification of enrollment via Clearinghouse, OR copy of degree obtained in 2025.
If you are freshman at your institution and do not have an unofficial transcript at your disposal OR your unofficial transcript does not display enrollment in the Fall 2025 semester, please submit another document from your institution and/or registrar’s office to certify your current enrollment. Certifications via Clearinghouse are acceptable to verify enrollment. Lastly, if you have graduated in 2025: a copy of your degree will suffice as verification.
A legible copy of your latest college/university transcripts or one of the aforementioned enrollment verifying documents is required with your online application. Unofficial transcripts or a copy of your degree are acceptable at the time of application. Your transcript will be used to certify your eligibility for the program. Official transcripts will be required if selected for the position. Transcripts must be issued by the college or university, and must include your name, the name of the institution, and the courses and course dates. Screenshots, JPEGS, Word or other text documents, and stand-alone course lists are not acceptable. Failure to submit the required legible documentation at the time of application will result in disqualification.
If you do not have an unofficial transcript at your disposal, please submit another document from your institution and/or registrar’s office to certify your current enrollment. Certifications via Clearinghouse are acceptable to verify enrollment. You may also provide a copy of your degree as verification.
10. Two (2) references (name, email and phone) that can attest to the applicant's proficiency, skills, work ethic, reliability, quality of work, and capacity to work on teams. PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR REFERENCE NAMES, AND CONTACT INFORMATION AT THE TIME OF YOUR INTERVIEW. DO NOT ATTACH REFERENCE INFORMATION TO YOUR APPLICATION.
Letters of Recommendation are NOT required for the application.
For all documents except professional references, you should follow the steps for submitting documents found below in step 5 of the "How to Apply" section.
Education:
MUST be a U.S. citizen currently enrolled at time of application in a degree-granting program of study at an accredited institution of higher learning at the undergraduate level (college, university, or tribal college), or graduate level, AND/OR have graduated or will graduate between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025.
NOTE: Your transcripts and/or registrar certification of enrollment documents are required in order to verify your eligibility for consideration. Failure to provide this documentation in your application will result in disqualification. All transcripts and/or registrar documents must be in PDF file format. Image files, Word documents, etc. are not acceptable.
Prepare to apply for JFP26 by reading this How to Apply guide
Selections for all 2026 Junior Fellows are projected to be complete by late March 2026. Notices of selection or non-selection will be sent during the first week of April 2026. If you have questions regarding the USAJOBS vacancy announcement or the status of your application, please contact jobhelp@loc.gov.
Reminders:
- Please follow the application instructions included in the vacancy announcement. Documents submitted through Handshake will not be considered. Please refer to the Selection Process section and How to Apply sections for detailed instructions.
- If you have questions regarding the USAJOBS vacancy announcement or the status of your application, please contact jobhelp@loc.gov. We are unable to respond to messages via Handshake.