Position at Harvard

Collections Conservator
Harvard College Library
Preservation and Imaging Services
Cambridge, MA

Reporting to the Collections Conservator for the Harvard College
Library, the Collections Conservator is responsible for ensuring
longevity and usability of HCL's general research collection by
managing the collections maintenance/protective enclosures program.

    Supervises 8 staff members, temporary employees and students
    involved in collections maintenance, protective enclosures
    program, and reformatting preparation workflow

    Provides training in collections maintenance and reformatting
    preparation procedures and techniques

    Responsible for design, construction, and training staff in the
    construction of protective enclosures for general library
    materials. Participates in project management, long-range
    program planning, disaster recovery, preservation training, and
    outreach

    Assists in the management of conservation services

    Participates in surveys and development of web-based
    publications

    Assists in providing collections conservation services for
    Harvard College libraries outside of Widener Library

    Contributes to maintenance of vendor files, Conservation
    Services Library

    Serves on Library Collections Emergency Team (LCET)

Basic Qualifications:

    MLS degree

    Advanced training in conservation through graduate studies or
    apprenticeship, advanced courses, and internships

    Broad knowledge of library preservation

    Able to perform conservation treatments in a production setting

    Knowledge of the history of books, paper making, bookbinding
    techniques, and the history and manufacture of other library
    materials; nature/causes of book/paper deterioration; chemistry
    as it applies to library materials; word processing,
    spreadsheet, database software

    Able to prepare reports and procedural documentation (written
    and web-based)

Additional Requirements:

    Professional ethical practice in conservation

    Familiarity with photographic documentation, web design

    Strong leadership, communication, interpersonal, organizational,
    change management, and problem solving skills

    Able to establish priorities and achieve goals

Additional Information: The position is within the Conservation
Services division, which with the Imaging Services division makes up
the Preservation department of the Harvard College Library.
Conservation Services, an HCL division based in Widener, consists of
two groups: the Collections Conservation Lab and the Binding and
Shelf Preparation group. Each provides a full range of services to
HCL libraries, as well as training and consulting services to other
libraries at Harvard. For information about how HCL Conservation
Services fits into the University-wide library preservation program,
please visit

    <URL:http://preserve.harvard.edu/

The HCL Collections Conservation Lab is a state-of-the-art facility
occupying 3,400 square feet in Widener Library. It includes areas
devoted to preservation review, collections care, conservation
treatment, reformatting preparation, and construction of protective
enclosures. It houses and makes available a reference library of
bookbinding manuals and videotapes, supply catalogs, and materials
on library preservation. The lab handles all phases of conservation
treatment for Widener Library collections. Its staff also performs
intermediate and advanced conservation treatment and makes
enclosures for other HCL units. Conservators provide conservation
training, surveys, environmental monitoring, and consulting services
to HCL units. More information about the HCL Collections
Conservation Lab is available at

<URL:http://preserve.harvard.edu/conservation/generalcollections.html

The work associated with this position is performed in a
conservation laboratory. The incumbent sometimes works with
solvents, moldy materials, and items that could potentially pose
other biological hazards. The incumbent uses a range of bookbinding
equipment, including heavy presses, manual and power cutters, dry
mount press, fume hood, hot stamping press, deionization system for
water purification, double-fan adhesive binding press, and freeze
dryer. This equipment is highly specialized and many pieces require
safety precautions because of high temperature or sharp blades.

Interested parties may apply to <URL:http://jobs.harvard.edu  and
search using requisition #33312.

Harvard University requires pre-employment reference and background
screening.

Harvard University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity
Employer.

Sherrie L. Whang
Harvard College Library
Human Resource Services
Widener Library G-20
Cambridge, MA, 02138
617-495-3721


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 21:50
                 Distributed: Wednesday, March 26, 2008
                       Message Id: cdl-21-50-028
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