The National Book Foundation, presenter of the National Book Awards, offers internship opportunities for current undergraduate and graduate students looking to learn and develop skills at an established and active literary arts non-profit. Over the course of a semester or a summer term, 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 experience necessary to progress in the arts or publishing industry.

Our internships operate on a seasonal calendar, in the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. For more information on applying, see the Application Instructions & Deadlines tab.

National Book Foundation works with university partners so that students earn credit for the internship experience. In addition to our consistent university partners, we also welcome a small number of interns applying from universities & programs with whom we do not have partnerships. Internships are open to students currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate course of study. For more information on university partnerships, see the tab for university partners.

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

Fall Internships: September – December, 2 full days / 16 hours per week for 16 weeks
Applications due July 1

Spring Internships: January – April, 2 full days / 16 hours per week for 16 weeks
Applications due November 1

Summer Internships: (late) May – August, 3 full days / 24 hours per week for 11 weeks
Applications due April 1

Please note that Summer Internship slots are limited and priority is given to students from partnering institutions.

Exact start and end dates may vary from intern to intern, and are decided once an offer has been extended to balance the scheduling needs of both NBF and the incoming intern.

To Apply for an Internship: Send resume, cover letter, and a list of ten favorite contemporary books to internships@nationalbook.org with the subject line “Internship Application for FULL NAME” as well as the season applying for. In the body of your email, please indicate where you are enrolled as a student, and whether you will be receiving course credit or funding from your university. Please see the About tab for more information about the internship program while crafting your application.

NBF strives to build an inclusive culture that respects diverse perspectives in all our work, and acknowledges the historically exclusionary nature of this field. To further such efforts, it is strongly encouraged (though not required) for applicants to fill out the National Book Foundation Intern Candidate Demographic Survey. Please note that this survey is not confidential. Answers will be shared only with members of the hiring committee and will be permanently deleted after each hiring round.

General responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Assisting with National Book Award entries and procedures
• Helping with the coordination of National Book Awards Week events and related materials
• Receiving and sorting National Book Award Ceremony RSVPs and related correspondence
• Supporting education and public program initiatives through event assistance, materials management, 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.

Qualifications: We are looking for responsible self-starters who are hard-working, detail-oriented, organized, and able to multitask. Excellent oral and written communication skills required. Having a passion for reading and literature is a must.

Compensation: For students who do not receive funding through their university, the National Book Foundation offers a $2,000 internship stipend.

Internships at the National Book Foundation are currently taking place in a hybrid work setting, with interns for the most part maintaining a regular remote schedule, while also coming into the offices at 90 Broad Street or attending in-person events on a semi-regular, as needed basis. Interns will be asked to confirm their COVID-19 vaccination status before coming in person, and masks are required while in the office. Any updates to these policies will be discussed during the interview process. 

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.

About the Organization:

The mission of the National Book Foundation, presenter of the National Book Awards, is to celebrate the best literature in America, expand its audience, and ensure that books have a prominent place in American culture. The Foundation approaches this work from three programmatic angles: Awards & Honors, recognizing exceptional authors, literature, and literary programs; Education & Access initiatives, helping young and adult readers develop a lifelong passion for books; and Public Programs, bringing acclaimed authors to communities nationwide to engage in conversations about books and the power of literature as a tool for understanding our world, cultivating meaningful discourse around the issues of our age.

National Book Foundation has a number of university partners for our internship program, including Pace University, St. Francis College, Sam Houston State University, and the University of Pittsburgh. University partners provide credit for interns, assist in recommending candidates, and maintain communication with National Book Foundation as part of the selection and interview process as well as for updates during the internship.

If your university is interested in working with us as an internship partner, please write to our Education Programs Manager, Julianna Lee Marino, at jleemarino@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.