Positions at Indiana Historical Society

Conservation Technician
Paper Conservator (search reopened)
Indiana Historical Society

The Indiana Historical Society <URL:http://www.indianahistory.org/>
currently has two job openings in Conservation.

Conservation Technician II

    Provides support for the preservation and conservation plan of
    the largely paper-based research collections held by the IHS
    library.

    Required:  BA/BS, preferably with a major that is materials
    based, i.e., studio art, archeology, or material culture;
    minimum of one year's experience in conservation lab related
    area with basic knowledge of collections conservation and
    essential knowledge of the field.

    Preferred:  Experience performing minor treatments to paper
    based materials or books in a professional setting. Complete job
    description available upon request.

    Part-time position budgeted up to 30 hours/week with a flexible
    schedule between the hours of 8:30am and 5pm, Monday through
    Friday. Hourly rate offered will be based on experience and
    skills. Part-time employees are not eligible for group health
    and dental insurance, but are eligible to participate in
    voluntary benefits.  Other benefits include free parking, staff
    discount at History Market and cafe, reciprocal benefits at
    other cultural institutions in Indianapolis.

Paper Conservator (search reopened)

    Supports the implementation of the IHS preservation plan and
    performs conservation procedures for IHS collections on a wide
    variety of rare, paper-based materials, including manuscripts,
    prints, drawings, maps, and bound materials. Work is done in a
    new, state-of-the-art, 2,000 square feet. paper and book lab
    with a large resource library and private office space.
    Required: graduate degree from a recognized training program in
    paper and/or book conservation; minimum of two years experience
    beyond graduate program training in recognized, formal
    conservation facility. Complete job description available upon
    request. Full-time position.  Pay offered commensurate with
    experience and skills. Excellent benefits package.

For either position, respond with letter, resume, and the names,
addresses, and telephone numbers of three professional references
to:

    Susan P. Brown
    VP, HR
    Indiana Historical Society
    450 W. Ohio Street
    Indianapolis IN 46202
    Fax: 317-234-0076

EOE

The Indiana Historical Society was established in 1830 and is today
one of the oldest and largest state historical societies in the
nation.  The present home of the IHS is the Indiana History Center
constructed in 1999 in downtown Indianapolis. IHS holdings are
grouped into the curatorial departments of Manuscript and Visual
Collections, Printed Collections and Artifacts.  For more
information, please consult the Society's website
www.indianahistory.org<http://www.indianahistory.org/>.

Specific items in the collection which are of note to conservators
are numerous hand-colored aquatints and etchings reflecting early
scenes and landscapes of this part of the country.  Additionally,
there are many colored prints of Native Americans--Bodmer and Lewis
portraits and landscapes being most noteworthy;  IHS holds a
complete, 4-volume, 435-plate, bound set of Audubon's Birds of North
America as well as his Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America.
Seventeenth and eighteenth century maps of North America and the Old
Northwest Territory are also strongly represented.

Besides printed work, IHS holds a large number of bound manuscript
journals and letters from early missionaries, explorers and settlers
to this part of the country, many of which include drawings and
small watercolors; many in need of treatment.  Iron-gall ink is used
for many; we are devising an overall treatment plan based upon
current world-wide investigations in the deterioration of iron gall
inks.

More recently created objects include broadsides, posters,
architectural print formats and a large photographic collection
covering the gamut of photographic techniques. Finally there are
many objects of bound formats, most notably 7,000 pamphlet bindings
requiring treatment and often re-binding.

Conservation Facilities: IHS has a 3200 square feet purpose-designed
conservation studio fully furnished with state of the art equipment
for the majority of paper conservation and book-repair tasks.  Bench
area and workspace is large enough to accommodate five conservators.

In addition to the conservation laboratory, the Indiana History
Center offers a staff/volunteer lounge, museum cafe, showers, and a
nearby parking garage. The center is well-situated along many public
bus routes and the White River State Park and Canal.

Indianapolis is fortunate to have a number of other cultural
institutions nearby, with their own paper conservation facilities.
These include the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Indianapolis
Children's Museum, Indiana State Museum, and the Lilly Library at
Indiana University in nearby Bloomington. Chicago is 2 1/2 hours'
drive away with world-class museums and collections.

Ramona Duncan-Huse
Senior Director, Conservation
Indiana Historical Society
450 W. Ohio Street
Indianapolis IN 46202
317-234-0093


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 21:31
               Distributed: Wednesday, November 21, 2007
                       Message Id: cdl-21-31-039
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