The Harry Ransom Center seeks skilled, collaborative candidates for the position of Senior Book Conservator. The Ransom Center is an internationally renowned humanities research library and museum at The University of Texas at Austin. Its holdings include 42 million manuscripts, one million books, five million photographs, and over 100,000 works of art. The Ransom Center hosts more than 60,000 visitors annually, including undergraduate and graduate students, scholars, and members of the public. It has a full-time staff of 90. The Preservation and Conservation Division has five conservators and three technicians who oversee a comprehensive program of preventive and remedial care for the Center’s collections.
Purpose: To develop and manage programs for the preservation, conservation of all bound collections at the Ransom Center for storage, loan, exhibition, and handling in the Center’s Reading and Viewing Room. To provide treatments of all levels of complexity for the Center’s bound collection materials, from incunabula to scrapbook formats to current-day bindings. Essential Functions: - Manage and supervise the division’s Book Conservation Lab. Perform conservation treatments on a wide range of bound formats, providing full written and photographic documentation. Apply appropriate research techniques, including use of instrumental methods, in the examination and analysis of bound materials. - Supervise, train, and manage Book Conservation Lab interns and volunteers in appropriate treatment, housing, and exhibition techniques. Assign collection items for treatment and/or housing; review all book conservation treatment documentation; and monitor and evaluate the progress of lab workflows. - Liaise and collaborate with curators, collection managers, exhibition staff, administrative personnel, and other Ransom Center staff with regard to the handling, housing, treatment, and exhibition of bound collections. Work closely with curatorial staff to establish annual treatment and housing priorities for each fiscal year, including collection assessments. Work closely with Exhibition staff and Registrar to ensure the timely assessment and treatment of items going on in-house exhibition or out-of-house loan. - Participate as part of the division's senior management team to strategically plan for the ongoing care of the Ransom Center's collections. - As member of the Emergency Preparedness and Recovery Team, assist with emergency planning and training; lead the planning for and recovery of bound collections. Participate actively in the Texas Cultural Emergency Response Alliance network. - Take a leadership and educational role in all activities and programs of the Ransom Center’s Preservation and Conservation Division, and similarly support other areas of the overall institutional preservation endeavor. - Pursue independent studies and engage with professional opportunities, representing the Ransom Center in local, national, and international forums as appropriate. Required qualifications: Master's of Arts or Science degree in art conservation or Master’s degree in library science, art, or art history plus a certificate of advanced study in conservation. A minimum of five years of post-graduate experience applying book conservation and preservation practices in museums, libraries, special collections, and/or archives. Extensive knowledge of the materials and technologies encountered in the creation and conservation of the range of book and bound objects. Demonstrated ability to conduct conservation research and to analyze book materials to identify and/or determine their condition and material composition. Knowledge of and experience with exhibition standards, building environment systems, disaster planning and response, conservation trends, and collection surveys. Demonstrated excellence in written and oral communication. Demonstrated successful project management and organizational skills, including the ability to train, supervise, and assess work. Experience working with conservators, curators, scientists, and other allied professionals in a team environment. Strong record of professional engagement. Preferred Qualifications: More than five years of post-graduate experience in documentation, conservation treatment, and preventive care of books and bound objects. Research and publication record on conservation topics. Knowledge of and experience in use of collection management systems for documenting and tracking collections. Experience with mass collection moves in preparation for building renovations. For further information and to apply for the position, please see posting number 18-09-20-01-0614 at the following link: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/hr/jobs/nlogon/search/0/ The University of Texas at Austin is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer with a commitment to diversity at all levels. Security sensitive position; conviction verification will be conducted on applicant selected. -- Ellen Cunningham-Kruppa, MLIS, PhD Associate Director for Preservation and Conservation Harry Ransom Center The University of Texas at Austin P.O. Box 7219 Austin, Texas 78713-7219 P: 512-471-5495 F: 512-471-7930 www.hrc.utexas.edu ****** Unsubscribe by sending a message to [email protected] Searchable archives: http://cool.conservation-us.org/byform/mailing-lists/cdl/
