Positions at British Library

Head of Conservation
Head of Conservation Training and Development
British Library

The British Library's <URL:http://www.bl.uk> collections have
developed over 250 years and contain more than 150 million items,
representing every age of written civilisation and every aspect of
human thought. Three million items enter our collections of
manuscripts, printed materials, sound recordings and digital
materials each year.

The British Library is undergoing a far-reaching and fundamental
restructuring, which includes the creation a Collection Care
portfolio, embracing Preservation, Conservation, Collection Storage
and Security, and Surrogacy. The area is responsible for the care of
both traditional and digital collections and comprises some 200
staff and UKP9m budget.

Head of Conservation

    The new Head of Conservation post being created within
    Collection Care will be based at St Pancras in London. Half the
    Conservation studios are already in the new BL building at St
    Pancras. The other half are currently still on the British
    Museum site about one mile away. There is a major project to
    build a new centre of book conservation on the St Pancras site,
    to open in 2005. The building is being designed to incorporate
    public access to the studios and to accommodate book
    conservation training. This post represents the opportunity to
    shape the Conservation Department in preparation for that move.

    The postholder will manage all the studios, which cover the
    whole spectrum of work reflecting the BL's world class
    collections--from refurbishment and box-making to printed book,
    manuscript, photographic and paper conservation, both oriental
    and occidental. The postholder will help to develop the British
    Library's role as a national and international centre of advice,
    expertise, research and good practice for all aspects of
    conservation, and to exercise a personal leadership role in the
    conservation community.

    He/she will manage a staff of approximately 70 conservation
    personnel, and non-staff budgets assigned to conservation.
    He/she will have responsibility for managing, reviewing  and
    developing the full range of conservation treatments undertaken.
    The successful candidate will have approximately ten years
    employment experience in a relevant professional conservation
    context, at least part of which will have been in a managerial
    capacity. He/she will possess a relevant vocational or
    professional qualification and have a deep knowledge of, and
    proven expertise in, a wide range of practical conservation
    techniques, with particular skills in book conservation. An
    extensive knowledge of interventive and minimal intervention
    approaches to conservation ranging from treatments applicable to
    oriental and occidental collections (manuscripts, printed books,
    maps etc) to a phased approach is required together with a broad
    knowledge of allied conservation disciplines; mechanisms of
    deterioration; the interaction between materials, use and the
    environment; and a knowledge of library and archive preservation
    activities.

    The postholder will need to be personable and pragmatic and have
    proven competence in managing numbers of staff and the ability
    to implement changes in conservation treatments through personal
    authority and expertise. Professional accreditation is highly
    desirable, as is membership of, and active involvement in,
    appropriate national professional conservation bodies together
    with contributions to relevant professional publications and
    events.

    Salary UKP31,779 - UKP46972

    For an informal discussion, please contact

        Helen Shenton
        Head of Collection Care
        +44 020 7412 7594
        helen.shenton [at] bl__uk

    For further information and an application pack please telephone
    +44 207 412 7314 between the hours of 9:00 and 17:00 or email
    bl-personnel [at] bl__uk quoting reference number P02-04-2002.

    The closing date for the receipt of completed applications is 10
    June 2002.

    Further details on the work of the British Library can be found
    at <URL:http://www.bl.uk>

Head of Conservation Training and Development

    The new Head of Conservation Training and Development post being
    created within Collection Care will be based at St Pancras in
    London. Half the Conservation studios are already in the new BL
    building at St Pancras. The other half are currently still on
    the British Museum site about one mile away. There is a major
    project to build a new centre of book conservation on the St
    Pancras site, to open in 2005. The building is being designed to
    incorporate public access to the studios and to accommodate book
    conservation training. This post represents the unique
    opportunity to define and shape the role of the British Library
    in providing conservation training in anticipation of the new
    facility, and to develop the educative outreach element of
    Preservation and Conservation.

    The postholder will undertake a review of the need for book and
    manuscript conservation and bookbinding in order to establish
    the role of a national library in respect of conservation
    training. He/she will undertake a review of the British
    Library's current training scheme for conservators and improve
    the scheme. The postholder will be responsible for planning and
    monitoring the professional development of conservation staff.
    He/she will develop the educational programme in conservation
    across the BL and externally, and arrange seminars, lectures and
    workshops for departmental staff, British Library staff and
    members of the conservation profession. The postholder will be
    required to investigate and secure funded internships.

    The successful candidate will have approximately seven years
    employment experience in a relevant professional conservation
    context, at least part of which will preferably have been in a
    training capacity. He/she will possess an extensive knowledge of
    the conservation of library and archive material along with a
    broad knowledge of the whole training and conservation
    landscape, including conservation training organisations and
    professional conservation institutions. Education to
    first-degree level or equivalent and a relevant vocational or
    professional qualification are highly desirable, as is
    experience in giving training to a wide range of audiences.
    Professional accreditation is highly desirable. Membership of,
    and active involvement in, relevant professional bodies will be
    expected, as is contribution to relevant professional
    publications and events.

    Salary UKP25,424 - UKP37,579

        Helen Shenton
        Head of Collection Care
        +44 020 7412 7594
        helen.shenton [at] bl__uk

    For further information and an application pack please telephone
    +44 207 412 7314 between the hours of 9:00 and 17:00 or email
    bl-personnel [at] bl__uk quoting reference number P02-03-2002.

    The closing date for the receipt of completed applications is 10
    June 2002.

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:75
                   Distributed: Tuesday, May 7, 2002
                       Message Id: cdl-15-75-013
                                  ***