Library and Information Science Internship: An Assessment of Positive Experiences

This study explores whether Library and Information Science students from three universities who participated in experiential learning through internship programs have identical or different experiences during their internships under selected internship items and factors. The study also aims to gauge LIS interns' own personal experiences in their internships. The study results have demonstrated LIS interns' agreement with the Internship Experience Factors, indicating that the internships provided a meaningful learning experience. Interns from the University of Northern Philippines (UNP) reported better learning experiences than those from the Benguet State University (BSU) and the Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities (HCM-USSH). The correlation among the internship factors was consistently weak, except for the level of agreement among students on communication skills and the rest of the areas of the learning experience, except for the comfort with work environments item. It is recommended that an LIS Internship guide be established to improve the LIS interns' learning experience further. This guide can ensure that all interns have comparable experiences regardless of the type of library or institution to which they are deployed. Furthermore, it will make these experiences more holistic, standardized, and international in scope when collaborations are sought. A future study should also consider the exact nature of more universities.