Position at Harvard

Lake Conservator for Houghton Library
Harvard College Library
Cambridge, MA

Reporting to the Preservation Librarian for Houghton Library, the
Lake Conservator treats a broad range of rare books and manuscripts.
Examines, specifies treatments for, and treats a wide range of rare
cloth-, paper-, vellum-, and leather-bound volumes. Prepares
treatment proposals and surveys. Designs and conducts surveys and
assessments of the library and its collections and analyzes results.
Oversees the assessment of materials for exhibition and loan, and
deals with particularly complex and difficult problems. Prepares
library materials for exhibition. Designs and constructs
custom-fitted protective enclosures for special collections.
Participates in management of conservation workflows in the Weissman
Preservation Center and in the Houghton conservation room. Performs
conservation treatments of varying complexity. Serves as a member of
Houghton Collections Emergency Team. Serves as a member of Library
Collections Emergency Team. Supervises Conservation Technician,
interns, and students. The work associated with this position is
performed in a conservation lab. This individual will be using
specialized conservation tools and equipment and solvents. Must be
aware of environmental hazards posed by substances such as solvents
and mold, and appropriate, safe methods of working with such
substances.

Basic Qualifications: Graduate degree in conservation required. Two
years of experience working in a rare book conservation facility or
extended, formal apprenticeship under a conservator required.
Additional Requirements: Strong knowledge of the history of book
structure; and bookbinding, printing, writing, and papermaking
materials and techniques. Working knowledge of chemistry and
materials science; disaster planning, response, and mitigation,
environmental monitoring and control, and commercial library binding
technology and management. Knowledge of standard word processing,
spreadsheet, database, and e-mail software.

Interested parties may apply to <URL:http://jobs.harvard.edu> and
search using requisition #33793.

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 21:59
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