- School Name: University Library
- Org: Special Collections Library
- Posted Job/Salary Grade: 026
- Employment Type: Exempt
- Position type: Full-time
- Position schedule: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Months: 12
- Position Length: Ongoing
University Overview
The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning.
Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.
The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.
School/Center Overview
The Penn Libraries serve the world-class faculty and students of Penn’s 12 schools. The Libraries’ collections comprise more than 7 million volumes, over 100,000 journals, some 2 million digitized images, and extraordinary rare and unique materials that document the intellectual and cultural experience of ancient and modern civilizations. Through our collaborative relationships, we supplement Penn’s great local collections with physical access to the Center for Research Libraries (approximately 5 million items), the combined holdings of the Ivies (more than 70 million volumes), and exclusive electronic access to some 2 million public domain titles in the HathiTrust. Today, the Libraries play an instrumental role in developing new technologies for information discovery and dissemination and are noted for groundbreaking work in digital library design. To learn more about the Penn Libraries, visit http://www.library.upenn.edu.
Duties
Reporting to the Margy E. Meyerson Head of Conservation and joining a state-of-the-art conservation facility, the Conservator will contribute to the long-term preventive care and conservation treatment of the holdings of the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, including but not limited to the collections materials in the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts.
The Conservator will plan and perform simple to complex structural and aesthetic conservation treatment on a wide range of materials including books, manuscripts, art-on-paper, maps, ephemera, and parchments.
The Conservator will be a core member of the Steven Miller Conservation Laboratory staff and will be expected to work closely with senior conservation technicians, curators, librarians, liaisons, reading room staff, catalogers, exhibition designers, art handlers, registrarial staff, student assistants, and other library staff.
Job Duties and Responsibilities:
- Plan and perform simple to complex structural and aesthetic conservation treatment on a wide range of special collections library materials including books, manuscripts, art-on-paper, maps, ephemera, and parchments.
- Apply knowledge of conservation theory and preventive conservation techniques to safeguard the long-term care of Penn Libraries collection materials
- Implement and conduct treatment practices that are in keeping with the AIC Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.
- Contribute to and conduct condition surveys and collection assessments.
- Analyze and examine collection materials to identify, describe, and document their material composition.
- Collaborate in exhibition and loan activities including review of facilities reports and environmental specifications; conducting exhibition reviews and on-site installation as needed.
- Develop and implement new documentation procedures and systems with the Head of Conservation.
- Participate in and create research, training, and educational outreach to a broad audience within the Penn Libraries and Penn academic community as well as partnering cultural institutions at the regional and national scale.
- Under direction of Head of Conservation and as required, develop curricula and lead audience-appropriate training and outreach for staff, students, faculty, and researchers.
- Contribute to departmental efforts to support Penn Libraries social media and communications campaigns.
- Collaborate with and direct the work of other lab staff, technicians, interns, and student workers.
- Facilitate general maintenance and organization of the conservation laboratory by contributing to safety procedures, maintaining inventories, and selecting materials and supplies.
- Be an active member of the conservation and cultural heritage community through active participation, publication, research, and professional service.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Required Expertise:
- Master’s degree from an accredited graduate training program in conservation and 2 years of post-graduate, professional experience in conservation laboratory, preferably in a special collections or research library, or similar institution; or equivalent combination of education and experience, are required.
- Demonstrated experience treating a wide range of materials, including books, paper, and parchment, as demonstrated by a portfolio
- Demonstrated success with a wide range of conservation treatment procedures and a high degree of manual dexterity, analytic and observational skills, as demonstrated by a portfolio
- Demonstrated thorough working knowledge of conservation theory and practice, with satisfactory completion of courses in organic, paper, and conservation chemistry
- Well-developed communication and research skills
- Ability to work collegially across a large, complex, and dynamic organizational setting
- Ability to initiate and adapt to change
- Ability to analyze and solve problems
- Ability to work independently and with others
- Attention to detail and willingness to learn new techniques
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Adobe, and other project management software
Affirmative Action Statement
Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.
Special Requirements
Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.
Quick Link
http://jobs.hr.upenn.edu/postings/36649