Positions at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Possible Future Staff Needs
Book conservation department
Thomas J. Watson Library
The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The following is a summary of job opportunities in the book
conservation Dept at the Watson Library. Please contact me if you
have questions and send your resume and a cover letter.

Job Description (Currently open)
Book Conservation Associate - Full Time

Position Summary: The Book Conservation Associate is responsible for
the physical processing, repair and conservation treatment of the
Watson Library collection. Must have knowledge of basic book and
paper conservation, boxmaking and other related skills. Also
responsible for: some processing of commercial library bindings--
correcting mistakes, bookplating, tipping in errata slips, etc.;
providing "rush" bookbinding services; making dust jacket covers for
selected books, and repairing damaged newly- acquired materials. The
Book Conservation Associate has administrative responsibilities
which involve basic word processing skills, the supervision of
volunteers and interns, the maintenance of the book conservation
facility, and assistance with special preservation projects,
including condition surveys, emergency planning and response, and
staff education.

Qualifications: The Book Conservation Associate should have
approximately 2 years of bookbinding experience and be skilled in
basic bookbinding and conservation procedures, including rebacking,
cleaning and refurbishing of paper, cloth and leather bindings,
basic paper repair, and boxmaking. Other requirements include strong
pc skills, the ability to communicate efficiently both orally and in
writing; basic office management; the willingness to work in a team
setting; the maintenance of the book conservation facility and
equipment (cleaning and basic repair and maintenance of equipment
and facility); and the ability to share information and to
participate in continuing education in conservation and the book
arts, for the benefit of the book conservation department.  A
portfolio will be requested.

This job may be open in the near future:

Job Description
Book Conservation Assistant - Part Time (3 DPW)

Position Summary: The Book Conservation Assistant is responsible for
the physical processing and repair of the Watson Library collection.
Must have knowledge of basic bookbinding,boxmaking and library
processing skills. These include case binding, cloth and paper
rebacking,custom preservation enclosures, polyester encapsulation,
dust jacket covers, tip-ins and other skills.The Book Conservation
Assistant is responsible for the processing of newly acquired
library materials and "rush" bookbinding services for Museum
exhibition catalogs. Other responsibilities include basic word
processing skills, the supervision of volunteers and interns, the
maintenance of the book conservation facility, and assistance with
special preservation projects, including condition surveys,
emergency planning and response, and staff education.

Qualifications: The Book Conservation Assistant should have
approximately 1 year of bookbinding or library conservation
experience and be skilled in basic bookbinding and boxmaking
procedures. Other requirements include some pc skills, the ability
to communicate efficiently both orally and in writing; the
willingness to work in a team setting; the maintenance of the book
conservation facility and equipment (cleaning and basic repair and
maintenance of equipment and facility); and the ability to share
information and to participate in continuing education in
conservation and the book arts, for the benefit of the book
conservation department. A portfolio will be requested.

In the future:

The Museum is involved in a conservation project to conserve its
collection of French illustrated books. We will be applying for a
grant to continue this work and will be looking for a book
conservator who can commit to work on this project for approximately
one year, starting in the Fall of 2002. The conservator would be
working in the book conservation dept.

Mindell Dubansky
Associate Museum Librarian - Preservation
Thomas J. Watson Library
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10028
212-650-2890
Fax: 212-570-3847


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:23
                Distributed: Tuesday, September 11, 2001
                       Message Id: cdl-15-23-019
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