Erika Cooley
Erika Cooley is a Florida native hailing from the city of Port Orange, just south of Daytona Beach. With a strong background in music performance and a love for libraries, Erika is currently pursuing an M.A. in Library and Information Science degree at USF while interning for the Library of Congress at the National Audio Visual Conservation Center as part of the Junior Fellows program. She will be creating metadata for the Universal Music Group collection, which consists of over 200,000 16" lacquer discs that are master music sessions from notable artists such as Tommy Dorsey, Ella Fitzgerald, and Bing Crosby. This project connects the public to the history of sound recording technology as well as the history of the music industry. Erika's goal is to have a career in audio preservation.
The Summer Library Internship program runs from May 20th to July 28th. This year’s students are from 21 states and the District of Columbia. The group will work on 29 projects across the Library.
“Since its origins in 1991, this program brings stakeholders across the agency together along with our talented cohort of interns to create unique learning experiences and enduring value,” said Kimberly Powell, chief of talent recruitment and outreach at the Library. “Each year we learn from each cohort and make adjustments to improve the program. Library service units offer priority projects and talented project mentors and colleagues who ensure we broaden and extend access to the public. The impact of the work of the Junior Fellows to complete projects will widen a path of access to Library content for generations to come.“
Fellows also will participate in virtual professional development opportunities to enhance their skill sets outside of their assigned projects, interacting with program alumni and Library leadership through a twice-weekly professional development series to increase engagement with Library collections and develop skills for securing employment. The cohort will present its most significant findings and accomplishments online to Library staff, mentors, and colleagues via an interactive session Display Day on July 19. The public will be invited to experience the online version of this virtual exhibition in the fall. The internship concludes on July 28.