Merit School of Music - Library Intern (Lawrence-Funded Internship)

Merit School of Music

Description:

Merit School of Music is seeking a Library Intern for Summer 2026.  The Library Intern will help oversee all aspects of the Glasser-Rosenthal Library ensuring accessibility during regularly scheduled hours, and as needed for special events. The Library Intern will endorse the Glasser-Rosenthal Library as a place to explore possibilities, find inspiration and effectively utilize resources.

Organization Overview:

Since its founding in 1979, Merit School of Music has successfully motivated and inspired over 50,000 young people with high-quality music instruction. The school’s broad-ranging comprehensive curriculum, extensive level of financial aid, sense of community and the standard of excellence set forth by the faculty and students are major components of its success.

Merit offers a multi-leveled, structured curriculum in a college preparatory environment. Programs take place at the Joy Faith Knapp Music Center in Chicago’s West Loop and at nearly 30 locations in neighborhoods across the city. Instruction is offered to approximately 5,000 students of all ages, from infants to adults, and from beginners to the Juilliard-bound by over 150 accomplished faculty members.

Merit has an annual operating budget of $6 million, of which nearly half is supported by contributed revenue.

Mission

Merit School of Music transforms the lives of Chicago-area youth by providing the highest quality music education – with a focus on underserved communities – inspiring young people to achieve their full musical and personal potential.

Reporting Relationship:

The Library Intern reports to the Librarian and Director of Program Operations.

Mutually Beneficial Expectations: 

Responsibilities of the Library intern include assisting the Librarian in the following areas:

• Maintain instrument fleet for both on-site and off-site programs, providing tracking, lending, and facilitating repairs and appraisals as needed
• Maintain circulation of Merit’s catalog materials (scores, print, audio and visual) providing accurate and timely tracking, lending and retrieving of all inventory
• Maintain organization of catalog and instrument inventory through use of software 
• Order supplies and music for on-site and off-site programming including instrument supplies, scores, etc.
• Process in kind donations according to procedures
• Work through the new library handbook with Librarian to see if it covers all duties needed for future
• Assist with major program events as needed (summer camp check-in)
• Engage with Student Services and Program Departments
• Long-term library projects as assigned relating to above areas
• Improve quality of library and its efficiency in all areas- open to all ideas!
• Interact with other staff and faculty at Merit to gain a full understanding of the school and receive guidance for future music-based education or career paths 

Personal Skills/Attributes/Qualifications:

The ideal candidate would possess the following qualifications:

• Excellent organizational skills; detail-oriented
• Circulation and cataloging experience
• Working knowledge of musical instruments and repertoire
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, in order to interact with students, families, off-site administrators, and renters by telephone, via email, and in person
• Prior experience working with students & families in an educational setting
• Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Excel

Educational Requirements

Currently enrolled in a Bachelor of Music or Arts degree program or similar field of study. 

Schedule:

Summer schedule: 20 hours per week, hours to be decided. Start and end date and weekly hours are flexible if discussed in advance.

Compensation:
This internship is part of the Lawrence-Funded internship program. The student selected for this internship will receive a $5k stipend to help cover housing and transportation costs and living expenses. For additional details and to see other Lawrence-Funded opportunities, please visit this webpage. 

Before applying, you must meet with a Career Center staff Ty Collins for a resume review, or your resume must achieve green status in VMOCK.  If your resume does not meet professional expectations, you may be asked to resubmit your resume.  Please make an appointment with the Career Center here on Handshake.

• Once your resume is approved, you will then apply directly in Handshake by March 27th, 2026.

Please ask Michelle Buchinger for more details about how funding works Michelle.m.buchinger@lawrence.edu