Johns Hopkins has a new opening for an Assistant Director for Library Conservation and Preservation in the Sheridan Libraries.
The Assistant Director is responsible for developing the strategic direction of the unit and implementing policies and programs which ensure the ongoing conservation and preservation of the Sheridan Libraries’ collections. In addition to managing the unit, the Assistant Director is responsible for identifying and developing collaborations, partnerships, and programmatic opportunities across the institution in fulfilling the mission of the Sheridan Libraries and Johns Hopkins University. The Assistant Director is also responsible for developing and administering the Heritage Science for Conservation program, which is an inter-disciplinary and inter-institutional research program in collaboration with the Department of Materials Science in the Whiting School.
A key partner in the academic enterprise, the library is a leader in the innovative application of information technology and has implemented notable diversity and organizational development programs. The Sheridan Libraries and University Museums are strongly committed to diversity. A strategic goal of the Libraries and Museums is to ‘work toward achieving diversity when recruiting new and promoting existing staff.’ The Libraries and Museums prize initiative, creativity, professionalism, and teamwork. For information on the Sheridan Libraries, visit http://www.library.jhu.edu/. For information on Evergreen Museum and Library and Homewood Museum, visit http://www.museums.jhu.edu/.
More information is available at https://hrnt.jhu.edu/jhujobs/job_view.cfm?view_req_id=65992&view=sch.
Responsibilities of the Assistant Director for Library Conservation and Preservation:
- Develops strategies, policies, and programs to conserve and preserve the Sheridan Libraries’ collections.
- Manages a team of 7 full-time staff and additional interns and students.
- Plans, implements and manages the operational budgets of the unit and several conservation endowments.
- Provides leadership in the unit for a broad range of conservation and preservation activities including: exhibits, conducting condition reports for loans, preparing facilities reports, developing preservation assessments, managing workloads of conservators.
- Manages the Conservation Internship/Fellowship Programs. Identifies, writes, manages and collaborates with others on conservation, preservation, and conservation science research grants.
- Represents the unit and the Libraries at local, national and international conferences on conservation, conservation science, and preservation.
- Works with Office of Risk Management and Laboratory Safety to ensure local and federal compliance of labs.
- Works closely with Dean of University Libraries & Museums, Associate Dean for External Affairs, and others to identify and to build donor base and sustainability models for the department; including working with Friends group on “conservation adoption” candidates.
- Writes and manages the Milton S. Eisenhower Libraries Disaster Plan (DPlan).
- Serves as PI and manages the Heritage Science for Conservation program, and recommends and facilitates areas of research relevant to the ongoing needs of book and paper conservation to HSC. Participates in quarterly Baltimore Areas Conservation Science Research Team.
- Collaborates and provides leadership in the development of cooperative conservation/conservation science projects.
- Documents the departments stewardship of the Ruzicka Feldman Endowment, Gladys Brooks Foundation, and Helen Ohrenshcall Endowment.
- By role serves on the Library’s Managers’ Council, Exhibitions Committee, Collection Management Council, and Disaster Recovery Team. The Assistant Director is responsible for seven direct reports in three operational units.
Qualifications:
MLS degree from an ALA accredited library school with at least 5 years of job-related experience. • A graduate degree/advanced certificate in book and paper conservation or equivalent of 10 years conservation bench experience. • Demonstrated experience in grant writing and management. • Experience in conservation treatment, collections management principles, practices, and issues. • Familiarity with conservation science research. • Demonstrated administrative and managerial experience, preferably in an academic research library. • Standing in the national and international library and museum fields as relating to preservation/conservation. • Demonstrated knowledge and experience in developing inter/intra-institutional cooperation. • Requires excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.