Intern, Records and Information Management (La Crosse, WI)

INTERN, RECORDS AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT (La Crosse, WI) Hourly Wage $18.00 | Anticipated start date of May 2026

Students will gain practical knowledge of business-focused Records and Information Management (RIM), working with both physical and digital records in a professional environment. This opportunity is designed to complement academic coursework by exposing students to the operational, technical, and compliance aspects of enterprise information management—an area of the profession that library and information science students may have limited exposure to in traditional coursework.

Upon completion of this practicum, students will be able to:

- Apply records management principles in a business setting

- Execute RIM procedures that facilitate compliance with organizational policies and legal requirements

- Utilize enterprise records management systems and emerging technologies for information governance

- Contribute to process improvement initiatives and workflow automation projects

- Understand the role of RIM in business operations

- Develop professional competencies in data quality management and metadata analysis

The Impact You Will Make in This Role:

Records Center Operations & Information Access: Support physical and virtual records center operations according to established procedures.

Electronic Records Management System Administration: Handle data changes and assigned tasks within the electronic records management system. Gain proficiency with enterprise content management technologies. Review and analyze metadata to ensure accuracy and consistency.

Process Documentation: Maintain and update procedures for RIM activities. Create clear documentation of workflows and processes. Identify problems in existing procedures, recommend improvements, and assist with implementing approved changes.

Digitization & Quality Control: Participate in document digitization projects, microfilm conversion, and quality assurance activities. Ensure digital records are correctly classified and entered into the electronic records management system with appropriate metadata.

Special Projects: Contribute to ongoing initiatives in workflow automation, data migration and cleanup, and process improvement.

Education & Experience: Currently enrolled in a master's degree program in Library and Information Science, Information Management, Archives, or a related field. Preference for students from SJSU iSchool or UW-Madison Information School. No prior professional experience required; relevant coursework or academic projects in records management, information governance, database design, metadata, or digital preservation preferred but not required.

Skills

Ability to follow established procedures with strong attention to detail. Basic understanding of data quality concepts and metadata principles. Effective written and verbal communication skills appropriate for professional business environment. Ability to work independently with moderate supervision while collaborating with team members. Proficiency with standard office technology and ability to learn new software systems. Strong organizational and time management skills. Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and handling sensitive information appropriately. Customer service orientation when interacting with internal stakeholders.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle or feel, and reach with hands and arms. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Depending on project assignments, some in-person work may involve physical tasks including standing, walking, kneeling, lifting, and moving file boxes (up to 45 lbs). Accommodations can be made based on project type and student needs. Remote and hybrid assignments are available that do not require these physical demands.

Environmental Demands

Primary work is conducted indoors with standard office technology. Student will interact primarily with RIM staff to support information needs. Work requires discretion, reliability, and a customer service orientation.

Students will work primarily with an assigned mentor who will provide hands-on training and day-to-day guidance. A supervising leader will be available for direction, feedback, and professional development support throughout the practicum.