From Text to Tech: A Summer Internship in Publishing Services

Tobias Fong is a graduate student in Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures and Media at the University of Minnesota, set to graduate in 2024. Over the summer, Fong took on an exciting internship with the University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing Services, where he explored the world of digital publishing and gained hands-on experience in text digitization. His role gave him a behind-the-scenes look at how academic texts are transformed for the digital age.

What were your main job responsibilities? Describe the projects that you worked on

The chief challenges were navigating the website and sometimes dealing with bugs or issues (e.g., the inability to submit primers to a website), but for the most part, it went well because I was able to take advantage of my blogging skills to make use of the websites such as Pressbooks or Manifold. It also helped that it was very flexible—I could work from home and do everything from my own computer!

Even so, there was plenty to learn from using these websites, such as uploading texts, editing them, publishing them and rendering alterations. The digitization of texts, in particular, was a process I was enthusiastic to learn about, and I was able to convert documents into published texts on a website.

The most interesting aspect of the job and the primary motivation that kept me enthusiastic and optimistic throughout was reading through the books and texts I was digitizing. Having a broad range of texts to read and engaging with how different disciplines write and produce their own textbooks or texts was fascinating.

How did you find your internship? What tips do you have for others seeking similar opportunities?

I would propose that you definitely make use of the CLA Graduate Student Career Services—don't be afraid to reach out for help, and ask the director (Mackenzie Sullivan and the others) for advice. Their assistance is invaluable.

Networking did help, but I did have a specific goal or field in mind that I wanted to work toward, and I ended up undertaking the actions and inquiring in the manner I did. Attend all of the workshops. They are very helpful!

What are your top takeaways from your internship experience? How has it helped inform your future plans?

I believe learning the skills to digitize texts and books, as well as navigating and making use of specific websites and programs, along with learning their various functions, are my top takeaways. It further cemented my desire to find a job in the same industry, and I have submitted applications for more library jobs. Hopefully, it goes well!

This story was edited by Regina Ramos-Francia Ylizaliturri, an undergraduate student in CLA.