Summer 2020 Virtual Internships
Chicago Public Library, Ill.
Innovation Synopsis
Chicago Public Library’s Teen Services Department had to pivot and quickly adapt during the pandemic to design a virtual internship for almost 50 teens, discovering in the process that the virtual realm allowed for more cross-branch communication and collaboration, diverse guest presentations and unique discoveries of different community libraries.
Challenge/Opportunity
Key ingredients we value for successful staff/teen mentorship include personal relationships and interest-driven activities, which were initially difficult to create in a virtual space which some felt was stifling. Engaging interns online often required more patience, flexibility and preparation, such as planned skill-development modules with visual aids, YouTube videos, podcasts and articles. Equally important were icebreakers, open-ended discussion prompts, more lightness and humor as well as well-being check-ins.
Key Elements of Innovation
Summer 2020 was extraordinarily stressful — several interns lost family to COVID-19 or violence as Chicago’s unemployment and murder rates spiked. Thanks to an opportunity presented by the mayor’s office, our interns channeled their frustration and anxiety into meaningful Chicago Youth Service Corps projects to improve the city, ranging in topic and format, including videos to podcasts. Additionally, through weekly Corps conversations about leadership and community, interns fostered deeper connections and reflections.
Achieved Outcomes
It was a delight and feat to accomplish our internship goals virtually through a mix of both asynchronous and synchronous activities and gatherings. We successfully fostered meaningful connections and helped our interns build communication skills while supporting their vision for a better city and future career and education options. What’s more, we exposed them to the joys of lifelong curiosity and learning at the library through our incredible programs, collections and services.
