Volunteers play an essential role at the CCHC. Listed below are some of the volunteer opportunities currently available. If you have a special interest or skill that does not fall into one of the categories listed, please let us know and we will to do our best to fit your skills with the CCHC’s needs.
Volunteers are needed in the following areas:
Development
Education
Grounds Keeping
Museum Shop
Visitors Services
Student volunteers are those who do not necessarily have an academic advisor but complete a Volunteer Application and carry out at least 40 hours of work in 10 weeks.
For more information about volunteering with the CCHC, please contact our Volunteer Office at 610-692-4800, X232. If you’re ready to volunteer with the CCHC, please complete and return the Application Form to volunteerpres@mycchc.org
Do you love to bring history to life and want to work to share the remarkable story of Chester County and its people? We may have the perfect job for you. The Chester County History Center seeks energetic and positive visionaries who will help bring the CCHC to new heights. The CCHC is an equal opportunity employer.
CCHC is pleased to offer a temporary, part-time paid position that will provide digital access to the permanent collections. It is funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services American Rescue Program. The work encompasses all three areas of the collections (library, museum, and photo archives) and reports to the Director of Collections.
Tasks to be completed: Create high resolution and derivative images of manuscripts and historical photographs, and create or work with documentary photographs of museum artifacts; organize and back-up digital files; edit and add new museum, library, and photo archives images to digital platforms. The bulk of the work focuses on scanning library manuscripts with some photo scanning or artifact documentation photography.
Skills required: The successful applicant will have experience in digital archives or photography, be detail oriented and be able to handle historical materials with care, be an effective communicator, read cursive, be able to work within existing processes, and interact with a variety of people. A Masters degree, or nearing completion, in archival management preferred. Consideration will also be given to applicants with digital experience as part of advanced degrees in museum studies, public history, or a related field.
Skills developed: The technician will gain experience in digital project workflows; learn how to handle loose or bound materials and artifacts; work with Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Photoshop; learn about Chester County history and the significance of CCHCs permanent collections; become familiar with Pennsylvania’s Power Library and PastPerfect; and learn about Library of Congress, Art & Architecture Thesaurus, and Nomenclature subject headings.
Schedule: This project is 24 hours per week for 46 weeks (maximum 1,106 hours) from mid-December 2021 through October 31, 2022. The stipend is $18/hour without benefits. The weekly schedule may be arranged by mutually beneficial agreement.
Application: The application includes a resume and a letter explaining the level of knowledge and experience regarding digital processes, and any archival, photographic, museum, or public history experience. The letter should also explain what the applicant hopes to gain from the experience. Applications for this position must be received by email no later than midnight November 19, 2021 to Ellen Endslow, Director of Collections, eendslow@mycchc.org.
Internships at the CCHC, usually unpaid, are available in a variety of departments. They are temporary positions and are supervised by full-time professional staff. Interns may interact with staff in other departments, volunteers, consultants, and the public. The CCHC is willing to work with students to arrange course credit for their work, should it be available. Preferred applicants are graduate or upper-level undergraduates in history, library science, archives management, museum studies, education, anthropology, or a related field with an interest in working with museum collections, special libraries, or archives.
To be defined as an internship at the CCHC:
Internships are currently unpaid.
Tasks to be completed:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, museum internships will be limited to virtual activities. This will curtail projects to those such as inventory, transcription, or other remote computer-based activities associated with primary materials.
When on-site internships resume, basic collections management includes: data entry into database software; original object cataloging; digital photography or scanning; primary research; object handling and re-housing. The goal is to make collections records more publicly accessible through an electronic medium and to physically improve object care.
Skills required:
Attention to detail and flexibility are important. The ability to work with a variety of people is also essential. Clear communication skills, both written and verbal, will be useful in the work of cataloging as well as ensuring that the intern and staff person(s) understand expectations.
Skills developed/products produced:
The concrete results for the intern and CCHS will be finding aids or scope notes, catalog records, properly housed historical materials, and photographic documentation. Professional cataloging standards, processing collections and learning to understand how researchers might use these primary materials for analysis are a part of the learning experience.
Timing:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, internships are virtual. On-site internships are Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Internships are currently unpaid.
Tasks to be completed:
Library interns will do both library and archival work. Interns will assist with collection maintenance, shelving, and cataloging. Interns may also work with processing new accessions. Interns may assist with digitization initiatives if an in-house project is in progress during the internship period. Interns interested in archives may process a small collection and write a finding aid to that collection. Specific tasks for each intern will be determined with the intern’s specific interests in mind. Tasks will vary as a result of the library projects available during each intern’s tenure.
Skills required:
Attention to detail is a must! Careful handling of historical documents, strong organizational skills, and an ability to interact with staff and volunteers are essential.
Skills developed/products produced:
The intern will learn how a special library functions, gain or enhance practical skills in archival organization, learn to manage manuscripts, and may produce a collection guide that will be added to the CCHC website.
Timing:
Interns will be scheduled during the CCHC working hours, Tuesday through Friday 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. After an introductory training period, interns may be able to add Saturday hours to their schedule.
The CCHC partners with the West Chester University History Department to offer an Education Internship (Fall Semester) and a National History Day Internship (Spring Semester). Please contact the WCU History Department for further information on the internships and how to apply.
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