Head of Conservation
Preservation Department
Special Collections and Preservation
Division
The University of Chicago Library
The University
of Chicago Library is
seeking candidates with energy, expertise and vision for the position of Head
of Conservation.
The Head of Conservation is responsible for planning and managing a
comprehensive Conservation Program for the Library’s general and special
collections. The Program is undergoing an exciting period of expansion
and strategic planning to support and sustain collection growth and the Head of
Conservation will lead this effort. The Library is planning to construct
a new facility, linked to its largest location, the Joseph Regenstein Library,
at the heart of campus. The new Joe and Rika Mansueto Library, to open in
the fall of 2010, will have a new conservation laboratory for the treatment of
general and special collections, and a digital laboratory for the reformatting
of collections. The Head of Conservation will be involved in the final
planning and subsequent construction phase for the new laboratory.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Reporting
to the Preservation Librarian, the Head of Conservation sets program goals, and
develops and implements policies and procedures for the physical care of
collections. He/she manages the conservation laboratory, which involves
supervising and training 1.5 FTE staff and additional students performing a
wide range of conservation treatments and activities, establishing
specifications and procedures for work performed, establishing workflow
patterns, and ensuring the quality of completed work. The Head of
Conservation executes complex conservation treatments on paper-based library
and archival materials and arranges for professional conservation services to
accomplish treatment goals that fall outside the scope of the Program.
The Head of Conservation works closely and collaboratively with subject
specialists, Special
Collections Research
Center staff and others
to establish treatment goals, select and prioritize materials, and design and
implement treatment plans. He/she provides outreach and training for
staff, oversees the Library’s emergency preparedness and response efforts
and environmental monitoring, and serves with other Preservation Unit Heads as
a resource for staff and the public on a wide range of conservation and
preservation issues. The Head of Conservation will also provide support
to the Library’s fundraising activities by working with Library Development
staff and contributing to funding proposals for conservation. For a
fuller description of this position, please visit the Library’s Web site
at: http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/jobs/.
QUALIFICATIONS: For
consideration, candidates are required to have an MLIS or MLS degree from an
ALA-accredited program. A master’s degree or advanced certificate
in a recognized conservation training program, or an equivalent combination of
education and experience is also required. A minimum of two years professional
post-internship conservation experience is required.
Candidates are required to have extensive knowledge of conservation
principles, practices and procedures relating to library materials as well as a
comprehensive knowledge of the physical and chemical nature of books and paper,
the mechanisms of deterioration of library materials, history of the printed
book and book structures, and preservation issues in large research
libraries. Candidates must have the ability to perform high level
conservation treatments on paper-based general and special collections
materials as demonstrated by a portfolio.
Candidates must have the ability to conceptualize and apply
practical skills to develop and implement programs, demonstrated supervisory
experience, flexibility and creativity, and strong organizational and analytic
skills. In addition, candidates should have excellent
interpersonal skills, excellent oral and written communication skills, and the
ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of staff.
SALARY
AND BENEFITS: Appointment salary based on
qualifications and experience. Full range of benefits included in total
compensation package, with retirement plan, health insurance, paid time off,
and a tuition benefit plan for college age and younger children.
APPLICATION:
should include letter of application; resume; and names, addresses, e-mail
addresses, and telephone numbers of three references. Review of
applications will begin upon receipt and continue until the position is
filled. Applications received by July 14, 2008 will be assured
consideration. Candidates invited to interview will be asked to present a
portfolio representative of conservation treatment work in the area of library
and archival materials. Applications should be emailed to chicagoconservation@lib.uchicago.edu.
THE
LIBRARY and PRESERVATION DEPARTMENT: The University of Chicago Library is home to one of the
largest and richest research collections in the world. Our resources are housed
in six library sites, all of which are located on the main campus. The
Library’s holdings include 7.6 million print volumes, 434,000 maps and
photographs, 265,000 rare books, 36,000 linear feet of archives and
manuscripts, and extensive online full-text resources, reference databases and
locally digitized collections. The new Joe and Rika Mansueto Library,
designed by Chicago
architect Helmut Jahn, will have an elliptical glass dome to house a grand
reading room and a preservation facility, and underground high-density shelving
with an automated retrieval system to store more than 3 million volumes.
For information on the Library’s collections, services, and the new library,
please visit the Library’s Web site at: http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/.
The Preservation Department consists of three Units: Conservation,
Binding & Shelf-Preparation, and Digital Reformatting. The Department
is engaged in the management of preservation projects, provides emergency
preparedness and response assistance, and consults on a wide range of
preservation concerns. The Unit Heads work together as a team of which
the Head of Conservation is a member. Preservation Department staff
members are active participants in regional groups and contribute to national
initiatives in the field.
AA/EOE
Sherry Byrne
Preservation Librarian
University
of Chicago Library
1100 E. 57th Street
Chicago,
IL 60637
(773) 702-9313 voice
(773) 702-6623 fax
sbyr@xxxxxxxxxxxx