Position at Princeton

Princeton University Libraries will soon have an opening for a General
Collections Conservator.  See vacancy announcement below. This position
is an excellent opportunity for a successful veteran collections
conservator who wishes to help us continue to shape our growing and
evolving general collections treatment program.  The person we hire will
have an excellent track record as a supervisor and manager as well as a
collections conservator.  This person will have the following skills (in
random order):  be a people person, ie know how to listen to as well as
to supervise unit staff; be an excellent communicator with professional
colleagues in the Preservation Office as well as a preservation advocate
to all staff throughout the entire library; have excellent hand skills;
be very proficient at using a Macintosh computer; be an excellent
trainer both in conveying instructions concerning treatment procedures
and techniques as well as the context within which treatments are
performed; be a good writer as writing reports and memos *are* part of
the job.  This person will subscribe to our general collections
treatment philosophy: high quality (in terms of materials utilized,
execution of the treatment/technical hand skills, and appropriateness
and soundness of the treatment), aesthetics (how the item looks after
treatment: it must look good, not simply be utilitarian and
workmanlike), production (we work in a high production shop with
treatment time standards established in-house as well as a point system
which allocates treatment staff resources throughout the library
system).  In other words, we want treatments which are "neat, quick,
tough, and nondamaging."  At times the General Collections Conservator
will also work with the Special Collections Paper Conservator on various
projects related to rare book conservation issues.

The Princeton University Libraries are seventeen in number--the main
Firestone Library and 16 subject libraries--and comprise 4.5 million
books, plus a bunch of other stuff, most of it in special collections.
The Preservation Office is 4500 sq ft of mostly open space which was
entirely renovated in 1992-93.  This includes custom-designed cabinetry
and work benches and new conservation equipment.  The units which share
this space are:  Collections Conservation (1900 sq ft), Special
Collections Conservation (400 sq ft), and the Arabic Preservation
(microfilming) Project (320 sq ft). There are now 12 work stations for
general collections conservation staff, students, volunteers, and
interns with 4 more currently under construction.  The rest of the
territory is divided among office space (my own) and materials and
equipment storage.  In other words, we have a clean, well-lighted place
with one wall of windows.  We are also developing a large in-house
reference collection of books and videos on preservation, conservation
and the book arts as well as books related to special subject or format
collections with our Department of Rare Books and Special Collections.
Macintosh computers are de rigueur throughout the Preservation Office
and every computer is networked with email and Internet access.  All the
staff in the Preservation Office are highly skilled and motivated.

Due to policy within the Library, we cannot post the salary of the
position.  It *is* directly related to the candidate's education and
experience.  The candidate who meets our qualifications and whom we
ultimately select will be offered an excellent starting salary. Anyone
interested in speaking with me about the position may call me at
609-258-5591 or email at the address in the header of this message.

Position: General Collections Conservator
Available: Spring 1995

Description: Administers and manages the Collections Conservation Unit
within the Preservation Office.  This includes planning, organizing, and
staffing all preservation activities for the physical care of the
Princeton University Libraries general collections.  Specific
responsibilities include:  sets treatment standards and production
levels, including materials sorting, treatment decisions, workflow,
documentation, inventory control, contracting, and quality assurance;
manages computer-based point system which tracks and provides statistics
about treatment production and staff resource for seventeen (17)
libraries; acts as advisor to all library staff regarding damaged and
deteriorated materials, including recommending treatment options,
priorities, and courses of action; manages unit-specific budget for
materials, tools, and equipment and maintains inventories of same;
manages preservation activities originating from in-house microfilming
and brittle books programs, including materials repair, disposition and
storage of master negative microfilm, and contract preservation
photocopying and boxing; provides assistance in disaster recovery,
including staff training and supplies; treats materials from the general
collections; supervises one professional and three full time
conservation technical staff, plus students, hourly assistants,
volunteers, and interns, including selection, training, and evaluation.
It is expected that the overall ratio of managerial activities to bench
work will be approximately 60/40.  Reports directly to the Preservation
Librarian.

Qualifications: Five years (5) experience in management or line
positions in a general collections conservation program in a research
library, including three or more years experience as a supervisor and a
demonstrated ability to successfully lead and manage a diverse staff, is
required.  Current knowledge of and experience in ethics, practices, and
techniques employed in the conservation of library materials, including
broad knowledge and experience in bookbinding and book conservation, are
required.  Advanced level ability in operating Macintosh computers,
including extensive experience with Excel and PageMaker for collections
conservation applications, is required.  Must have excellent
interpersonal skills and work effectively with others. Desirable:
Completion of a recognized collections conservation training program or
a formal apprenticeship, or demonstration of a similar level of
education and training.  A masters degree from an ALA-accredited library
school or book arts program, or the equivalent in training and
experience.

Benefits: Twenty-four (24) vacation days a year, plus eleven (11) paid
holidays.  Annuity program (TIAA/CREF), group life insurance, health
coverage insurance, and disability insurance, all paid for by the
University.  Staff housing and University-sponsored mortgages.

Salary and  Dependent upon qualifications and experience.
Rank: Position may be a Librarian position or a Professional Technical
Staff position.

To ensure full consideration, candidates should send applications,
including resume and the names, titles, addresses and telephone numbers
of three references to be contacted, postmarked by February 1, 1995 to:

    Search Committee for General Collections Conservator
    c/o Maria G. Gopel, Human Resources Librarian
    Princeton University Libraries
    One Washington Road
    Princeton, New Jersey   08544

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
EMPLOYER

Robert J. Milevski
Preservation Librarian
Princeton University Libraries

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 8:36
                Distributed: Thursday, November 10, 1994
                        Message Id: cdl-8-36-010
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