Joseph de Lorenzo’s Networking Leads to D.C. Internship

“At the Spring 2012 DLIS Symposium, I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to have a discussion with Maureen Sullivan, the current President of the American Library Association (ALA). As a result of our discussion, Ms. Sullivan put me in contact with the Director of the ALA Office of Government Relations (OGR) in Washington, DC. To my unbelievable delight, this led to a summer internship in our nation’s capital working at the heart of the intersection of librarianship and government and politics.”

“During my internship, my primary responsibility was a records management project. This project enabled me to create a records schedule, implement a records management plan, and learn, practice, and refine skills key to being a librarian, such as organization, flexibility, collaboration, and attention to detail. I truly learned a great deal from the talented men and women in the ALA Washington Office and I am happy to report that they are doing a tremendous job fighting for libraries all across the country!”

“The importance of this article though is not to describe one student’s summer experience. The importance of this article is to let all students know that professionals in the DLIS, the ALA and other organizations are welcoming people who are working hard to provide opportunities to students and young professionals from which they can learn and build rewarding careers. Internship opportunities are all around you, they are incredibly rewarding, and they are the key to building a successful career in a challenging economic environment.”

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