Fellowship at Harvard

Kress Conservation Fellowship
Harvard Library

Applications are being sought for the 2013-2014 Kress Conservation
Fellowship in the Weissman Preservation Center, which provides
special collections conservation and preservation services for
Harvard Library in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Fellowship is
intended as a post-graduate opportunity to build skills and
experience in a research library setting. Reporting to the Head of
Weissman Preservation Center and/or senior conservation staff, the
Kress Fellow may choose to focus on one or more of the following
library specialties: rare books and bound manuscripts, archival
materials, art and historic artifacts on paper, and photographic
materials.  In addition, work in audio-visual preservation is
offered as a potential sub-specialty of the Fellowship. This 10- to
12-month, full-time, grant-funded position is supported by a stipend
of $27,000 plus benefits. The fellowship begins in September 2013
and the end date is negotiable.

Fellowship goals include:

    Completion of one or more conservation projects on high-priority
    library and archives collections. Each project may include:
    collection survey; item-level examination and development of
    treatment proposals in consultation with curators; physical
    treatment to prepare items for research use, exhibition, and/or
    digitization; and preparation of conservation documentation

    Publication and/or presentation of a research project,
    preferably conducted in collaboration with conservation staff,
    curatorial staff, and/or Harvard faculty and students

    Training and on-the-ground experience in key elements of a
    comprehensive preservation program, including environmental
    monitoring, emergency planning, priority-setting, preservation
    planning, housing and storage, care and handling; some of this
    will be undertaken by shadowing preservation staff

Qualifications:

    Kress Fellowship is limited to graduates of graduate
    conservation programs in the U.S. and Canada, or to U.S.
    citizens graduating from graduate-level conservation programs
    abroad.

    Strong knowledge of the history and manufacture of books, paper,
    and/or photographic materials; working knowledge of organic
    chemistry, materials science, and preservation theory;
    understanding of ethics and reasoning behind treatment choices;
    excellent bench skills that evidence working to a high standard.

    Demonstrated interpersonal, written and oral communication, and
    team skills, and the abilities to manage time effectively and
    prioritize workload to meet deadlines; proficient computer
    skills including email, spreadsheets, and word processing.

Physical Demands: Job requires ability to handle sharp tools, to
lift up to 30 lbs., and to escort materials from one building to
another. Some tasks involve exposure to dust, mold, and/or solvents.

Work Environment: The Weissman Preservation Center (WPC) is
dedicated to assessing, preserving, and making accessible the rare
and unique materials that make up the special collections at Harvard
Library. The fully equipped WPC Conservation Laboratory is currently
staffed by 19 FTE conservators and technicians. Working within the
Preservation, Conservation and Digital Imaging shared service, the
WPC collaborates closely with the other units responsible for
general collections conservation, image and audio digitization, film
preservation, and digital preservation.

Harvard University's library collections are rooted in the 1638
bequest of 400 books from John Harvard, and today they hold the
largest academic collection in the world. More than 70 library and
archive repositories contain over 45,000 distinct collections
comprising approximately 17 million volumes, 186,000 linear feet of
manuscript and archival materials, and a rapidly expanding inventory
of digital resources and data. These materials and the expertise of
Harvard Library staff members support the research, teaching and
learning pursuits of Harvard faculty and students, as well as an
international community of scholars. The Kress Fellow will benefit
from access to the rich cultural environment that characterizes
Harvard University and the Boston area.

Qualified applicants will be asked to participate in a telephone
interview; this may be followed by an in-person interview with
portfolio presentation.T

o apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to
harvardlibraryhr<-at->harvard<.>edu

To ensure consideration of your application, please submit by June
7, 2013.  For additional information about the fellowship, please
use the same email address.

This Fellowship has been supported by a grant from the Samuel H.
Kress Foundation, administered by the Foundation of the American
Institute for Conservation.

Harvard University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity
Employer.

Jennifer Goldstein
Harvard Library Human Resources


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