u/Diligent-Yard-9305

Hi everyone,
I’m currently in my first month as a social work intern at a public library, and I’m trying to get a better sense of my role moving forward.
This is my first internship in my BSW program. My initial field placement preference was at an outpatient treatment center focused on addiction care for adults; however, that opportunity ultimately fell through, and as my deadline for securing a placement was approaching, my options became more limited. At that point, I pursued this library placement to ensure I was able to meet program requirements and begin my field education on time while still gaining meaningful experience in a community-based setting.
The library does not currently have a licensed social worker on staff, so my position feels a bit unclear at the moment. So far, I’ve mainly been focused on orientation—getting to know the staff, learning how the library operates, and understanding the general services they provide. While there is currently no social worker on staff, the library has previously employed social workers and is familiar with supporting social work practice in this setting. My supervision is provided by the Executive Director, who holds an MLIS and has previously served as a field supervisor for BSW students. The library has also recently taken on an MSW intern, which further supports the structure and learning opportunities within the placement.
I’m starting to wonder what my role could look like once onboarding is complete. I don’t often see patrons coming in specifically requesting social services or resource support, which may be related to the fact that the library is in a relatively well-resourced suburban community.
For those who have worked in similar settings, what kinds of tasks, outreach, or programs did you take on as a social work intern in a library? How did you identify needs in the community and create meaningful ways to contribute when direct service requests were limited?

Any advice or examples would be really appreciated.

Hi everyone,
I’m currently in my first month as a social work intern at a public library, and I’m trying to get a better sense of my role moving forward.
This is my first internship in my BSW program. My initial field placement preference was at an outpatient treatment center focused on addiction care for adults; however, that opportunity ultimately fell through, and as my deadline for securing a placement was approaching, my options became more limited. At that point, I pursued this library placement to ensure I was able to meet program requirements and begin my field education on time while still gaining meaningful experience in a community-based setting.
The library does not currently have a licensed social worker on staff, so my position feels a bit unclear at the moment. So far, I’ve mainly been focused on orientation—getting to know the staff, learning how the library operates, and understanding the general services they provide. While there is currently no social worker on staff, the library has previously employed social workers and is familiar with supporting social work practice in this setting. My supervision is provided by the Executive Director, who holds an MLIS and has previously served as a field supervisor for BSW students. The library has also recently taken on an MSW intern, which further supports the structure and learning opportunities within the placement.
I’m starting to wonder what my role could look like once onboarding is complete. I don’t often see patrons coming in specifically requesting social services or resource support, which may be related to the fact that the library is in a relatively well-resourced suburban community.
For those who have worked in similar settings, what kinds of tasks, outreach, or programs did you take on as a social work intern in a library? How did you identify needs in the community and create meaningful ways to contribute when direct service requests were limited?

Any advice or examples would be really appreciated.