Position at New York Public Library

Collections Care Supervising Conservator
Barbara Goldsmith Preservation Division
Collections Care
The New York Public Library

Job ID: 2014-7895

Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm
Evenings and weekends as required
Schedule subject to change

Within the New York Public Library's Barbara Goldsmith Preservation
Division, the Collections Care unit is responsible for treatment,
repair, and stabilization of general collections in various formats;
creation of protective enclosures and housings; deacidification;
collection surveys; integrated pest management; emergency
preparedness and response, including mold remediation; and promotion
of preservation policies and standards.  The unit is batch
production oriented, and provides a high volume of quality
deliverables.  The program's development and outreach activities
align with the Preservation Division's efforts to safeguard the
Library's collections and support the Library's strategic priorities
for widespread and ongoing physical and digital access.

Responsibilities:

    Provides leadership and vision for the unit's activities and for
    future program development.  Manages general conservation
    treatment, repair, and housing activities within the Collections
    Care unit

    Plans and manages workflows through the lab for newly acquired
    materials, existing damaged collections, digitization, and
    storage/move priorities

    Collaborates with NYPL curatorial staff to establish unit
    priorities and quotas.  Collaborates with BookOps acquisitions
    and circulation functions to prioritize and provide treatment
    and stabilization of newly-acquired collection items

    Supports Library partnerships by evaluating and stabilizing
    heavily-used research collections for off-site storage and
    off-site patron requests

    Develops preservation strategies based on collection assessments
    and surveys

    Determines appropriate treatments for items routed for repair,
    boxing, rehousing, deacidification, mold remediation and assigns
    work to staff

    Performs a broad range of treatment activities on various types
    of formats

    Hires, trains, supervises and evaluates lab staff.  Evaluates
    work done by the unit and ensures that treatment standards and
    protocols are met

    Provides emergency preparedness and recovery leadership and
    support

    Performs mold remediation and participates in integrated pest
    management

    May assist with environmental monitoring

    Provides technical advice and training regarding handling,
    storage, selection for treatment, and treatment of library
    collection items

    Evaluates, recommends, purchases and maintains supplies, tools
    and equipment

    Tracks materials, maintains program metrics and prepares reports

    Maintains treatment records and systems

    Evaluates processes and outputs, and implements modifications to
    improve quality and effectiveness

    Develops and tests new treatment procedures

    Supports staff, patron, and community engagement through
    outreach activities

    Administers the health and safety program for the Collections
    Care laboratory and its associated program spaces

    Manages grant, vendor and other projects as needed

    Position involves lifting, operating machinery, and exposure to
    dust and mold

    Maintains Professional Associate Level (or above) membership in
    AIC

    Performs other duties as required

Qualifications:

    Master's degree or certificate from an accredited graduate
    training program in conservation

    ALA-accredited Master's degree in library and information
    studies or substantial work experience in a research library
    environment preferred

    Knowledge of conservation theory and practice

    Professional experience in a wide range of conservation
    treatment

    procedures of various paper-based formats, as demonstrated by a
    portfolio

    Experience in disaster recovery procedures for
    library/archival/museum materials

    Knowledge of book history, book binding, papermaking, paper
    deterioration and materials science

    Knowledge of preservation issues and current trends facing large
    research libraries across the nation

    Successful management skills, including the ability to train and
    supervise staff and assess work

    Successful organizational and analytical skills, including
    experience organizing and managing projects and/or workflow in a
    production setting

    Strong computer and database skills, including the ability to
    work with integrated library systems

    Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills

    Ability to work collegially across a large, complex, and dynamic
    organizational setting

For the full description and to apply online, please go to The New
York Public Library website:

    <URL:https://jobs-nypl.icims.com/jobs/7895/collections-care-supervising-conservator/job>

The New York Public Library is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative
Action Employer, committed to diversity and inclusion in the
workplace.

Kenneth Springle
Head, Preservation Reformatting and Collections Care
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
476 Fifth Avenue, Room 59
New York, NY 10018
212-930-0070
Fax: 212-302-5328


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 27:40
                  Distributed: Friday, April 18, 2014
                       Message Id: cdl-27-40-019
                                  ***