Internships at Smithsonian Institution Archives

Internships
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Summer 2013

The Smithsonian Institution Archives seeks two preservation and
conservation interns to join the third season of the Field Notebook
Project for the summer of 2013.  The posting appears below.

Intern Project Description: Field Notebook Stabilization,
Preservation and Conservation Project:

Through a generous donation from the Save America's Treasures fund,
interns for the Smithsonian Institution Archives (SIA), Collections
Care Division, continues work to preserve scientists' field
notebooks.  The materials are from the 19th and 20th century and
have a diversity of formats from journals and diaries to logbooks
and spreadsheets.  Interns will be trained to assess condition, and
implement preservation actions including preparing notebooks for
digitization.  The primary activity of the work is to stabilize
notebooks by creating custom enclosures; additional work such as
surface cleaning, disbinding, mending tears or humidification and
flattening of rolled or folded documents may also occur.  Interns
will work directly with the project conservator and the paper
conservator for the Smithsonian Center for Archives Conservation, as
well as associated cataloguers, collections managers, and
archivists. Interns will be trained in all of the activities.
Interns also perform basic archival functions such as creating box
lists, checking inventory lists, and generating location labels.
Opportunities are also available to publish blog articles, and
participate in the project's social media outlets.  For additional
insight into prior incumbents' contributions and experiences, see
the project website

    <URL:http://www.mnh.si.edu/rc/fieldbooks/>

and its blog,
and search blog posts with the keyword conservation or intern.

The work is located with the Smithsonian Institution Archives

    <URL:http://siarchives.si.edu>

with offices near the National Mall, and in the National Museum of
Natural History, where the majority of field notebooks are held.
Summer is an exciting time in Washington DC, coinciding with the
Smithsonian Folklife Festival over two weeks' time.

Compensation: Interns will receive a $5500 stipend for a 10 week
project.  Project start is generally between the last week of May,
2013 and first week of June, 2013 but is negotiable.

Requirements: Applications are welcome from pre-graduate or
"pre-program" and current graduate students in conservation.
Knowledge about materials found in archives and libraries and their
deterioration is helpful but not necessary.  Excellent hand skills
and sensitivity towards handling old, fragile materials is very
important.  Interest in archives, libraries, art conservation, or
history preferred.  Current written, photo blog or website activity
is welcomed via links in the resume submittal but not necessary.

To apply: Applicants are requested to apply through the Smithsonian
Online Academic Appointment system (SOLAA), which can be found at

    <URL:https://solaa.si.edu>

>From there, one may search by unit, in this case Smithsonian
Institution Archives, and then select from division: Collections
Care.  If there is not a checkbox for Field Notebook Project, please
make do specific reference to the project elsewhere in application
note field or your essay.  All documentation including personal
essay, resume, transcripts and names of references may be uploaded
or entered online.  Requests for recommendation letters may be sent
through SOLAA by the applicant after saving reference information
including email address.  References will receive a secure link to
upload a confidential letter of recommendation letter that is not
available to the applicant.

Nora Lockshin
Paper Conservator
Smithsonian Center for Archives
Conservations
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Capital Gallery
Suite 3000, MRC 507
202-633-5913
Fax: 202-633-5927


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 26:36
                Distributed: Wednesday, February 6, 2013
                       Message Id: cdl-26-36-029
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