The National Book Foundation, presenter of the National Book Awards, offers paid internship opportunities for current undergraduate and graduate students looking to learn and develop skills at an established and active literary arts non-profit. During the internship, interns do meaningful work for NBF supporting the National Book Awards, our educational and public programming, communications & social media efforts, and non-profit operations and administration. Our small and dedicated staff ensures that every intern receives mentorship and the experience necessary to progress in the arts or publishing industry.

Our internships operate on a seasonal calendar, in the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. The National Book Foundation offers a $3,570 internship stipend. For more information on applying, see Application Instructions & Deadlines.

For Fall and Spring terms, internships are open to NYC-based students currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate course of study. The National Book Foundation reserves the Summer term for university partners. For more information on university partnerships, see For University Partners.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Helping with the coordination of National Book Awards Week events and related materials
• Receiving and sorting National Book Awards Ceremony RSVPs and related correspondence
• Supporting education and public program initiatives through event assistance, materials management, research, and program tracking and documentation
• Contributing to the National Book Foundation’s social media outlets
• Editing of press releases and marketing materials
• Assisting at events outside working hours
• Assisting with general office administration

Location:
Internships at the National Book Foundation take place in a hybrid work setting, with interns maintaining a regular remote schedule while also coming into the office at 90 Broad Street or attending in-person events on a semi-regular, as needed basis.

Qualifications:
The ideal candidate is someone who is a responsible self-starter who is organized, communicative, detail-oriented, proactive, and deadline-conscious, with a demonstrated ability to balance overlapping project timelines. Excellent oral and written communication skills are required and having a passion for reading and literature is a must.

To be eligible, applicants must be currently enrolled full- or part-time at a college or university for the duration of their internship and based in the NYC area to be able to work at our office a couple of days a week.

Our internships operate on a seasonal calendar, with a total time commitment of approximately 250 hours . Application deadlines differ for each term:

Fall Internships: September – December, 16 hours per week for 15 weeks
Applications accepted June 15 – July 15

Spring Internships: January – April, 16 hours per week for 15 weeks
Applications accepted October 1 – November 1

Summer Internships: (late) May – August, 24 hours per week for 11 weeks
Applications accepted Feb 15 – March 15*

*Please note that Summer Internship slots are limited to students from partnering institutions.

TO APPLY FOR AN INTERNSHIP:
Send your resume and cover letter to internships@nationalbook.org with the subject line “SEASON Internship YEAR – FULL NAME”. In the body of your email, please indicate where you are enrolled as a student and how you learned of this opportunity.

In the cover letter, be sure to include: your relationship to books and reading, why you are interested in interning for NBF, and skills and experiences you would bring to the internship.

Please note that interns must be current students based in New York City to be eligible for this internship. Prospective interns are strongly encouraged to seek course credit and/or funding.

The National Book Foundation is committed to inclusivity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, nationality, marital status, parental status, military service, or disability.

The National Book Foundation has a number of partners for our internship program. University partners provide credit for interns, provide resources to support intern accommodations, assist in recommending candidates, and maintain communication with the National Book Foundation as part of the selection and interview process as well as for updates during the internship.

Our Summer Internship is currently reserved for students enrolled at Sam Houston State University, the University of Pittsburgh, and student members of Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society.

If your university is interested in working with us as an internship partner, please contact our Director of Finance and Operations, Eileen Eng, at eeng@nationalbook.org. We are interested in partners who can work with us to ensure credit opportunities for interns, as well as partners who have funds for paid internships and are looking to connect with host organizations in New York City.