About the position

AARP, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older, seeks a master’s-level graduate student for an internship with its Library & Strategic Services team. This internship offers hands-on experience in research, insights, synthesis, innovation, personal growth, and emerging technologies. The role involves conducting, interpreting, and synthesizing secondary research using licensed databases and internal resources, making it ideal for a student pursuing a career in reference services. Interns will also gain practical experience in designing and building SharePoint web pages and developing valuable technical services skills. The program challenges interns to think creatively and work innovatively on real-world projects, aiming to build a strong foundation for various career paths within the library and information field. AARP is committed to the intern's growth and professional development. This paid internship is expected to start in Summer 2026 and continue through the end of the year, with a potential extension into 2027.

Responsibilities

• Synthesize research findings from AARP’s collection of resources, including primary and secondary research, surveys, consumer and market research databases, academic journals, etc.
• Analyze and write up findings and insights; apply innovative thinking and problem-solving; utilize approved AI research tools.
• Conduct literature reviews and market scans for stakeholders throughout the association, and perform company due diligence and people vetting.
• Support technical services activities, including collection development, database management, building web pages, promoting library events, and programming via internal channels.
• Proactively distribute research from a collection of resources to internal stakeholders, including contributing relevant research to issue area newsletters enterprise-wide.
• Provide face-to-face interactions at the Library’s Reference Desk and monitor and provide timely responses via the library’s internal communication channels to help manage project intake.
• Manage several projects simultaneously and answer ad-hoc research requests as assigned; assist in managing special projects and marketing internal library events.
• Explore and demonstrate emerging technologies in the AARP Library collection, such as virtual reality (VR) technology, and AI capabilities within research and knowledge management tools.

Requirements

• Prospective intern must be enrolled in a Master’s-level degree program in Library and Information Science or a related field at an accredited college or university, and remain academically enrolled throughout the internship.
• Availability to work on-site at the National Office located in downtown Washington, DC (observing Monday and Friday as teleworking days, with Tuesday-Thursday in the office).
• Experience with research databases (e.g., ProQuest, Westlaw, EBSCOhost, LexisNexis).
• Excellent written, oral communication, and critical thinking skills, and the ability to synthesize research findings.
• Ability to identify, analyze, and creatively solve problems, with strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a curiosity to learn more about reference services.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as a member of the team.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and shift priorities as directed.
• A strong commitment to providing outstanding customer service.
• Advanced computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Regular and reliable job attendance.
• Exhibit respect and understanding of others to maintain professional relationships.

Nice-to-haves

• AARP will not sponsor an employment visa for this position at this time.

Benefits

• Paid internship
• Possible extension into 2027
• Cultivating continued learning and professional development