"Program Engagement Conservator"

Overview

The Program Engagement Conservator contributes to the library’s mission by fostering and enhancing highly effective communication and collaboration between Conservation & Exhibition Strategies and colleagues from across Yale University Library and the University as a whole. Working as a member of Conservation and Exhibit Services management team, the incumbent will act as a centralized resource for collections care in a large, complex, and dynamic environment, working with a diverse group of stakeholders. Devises, implements, and presents a range of training for staff who work with collections to promote the core principles and best practices for collections stewardship. Liaises with internal and external stakeholders in developing and maintaining effective processes and training. Assesses collections at various life-cycle points including acquisition, exhibition, class or reading room use, and digitization for special collections. Reviews processing plans, identifies preservation considerations, and contributes language to the plans as needed. Makes recommendations and/or referrals to other conservation units and Preservation Digital Strategies as appropriate. Identifies and cultivates opportunities for outreach to and engagement with library staff, faculty, and students. Provides preservation and conservation support for teaching with special collections materials. Advises library staff on preservation/conservation questions and connects staff with other PCS department experts as appropriate. Contributes to Conservation and Exhibition Services management team. Works closely and collaboratively with unit heads to create a seamless, coordinated, and effective comprehensive conservation program for the library’s collections. Collaborates with Preventive Conservation to design and plan preservation assessments and collection surveys; and participates in data analysis and report writing. Ensures that all work is documented in accordance with conservation ethics, professional standards, as well as departmental and University requirements. Please note that the Essential Duties listed below are generic text for conservator positions. The accurate list of job responsibilities is provided in the Position Focus. A Master’s degree in Conservation or Masters in Library Science with Advanced Certification in Conservation is required. This position will be assigned a rank of Librarian 2 to Librarian 4 based on a combination of professional experience and accomplishments. Librarian ranking information can be found at: http://bit.ly/YULRanksPromotions.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Knowledge of current preventive conservation strategies and standards for care, handling, and storage of circulating and special collections, and a demonstrated ability to apply that knowledge to solve problems day-to-day and to meet long-term collections care challenges.
2. Ability to plan, organize and prioritize projects to meet deadlines and clear objectives. Good time management skills. Strong research and documentation skills.
3. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; demonstrated effectiveness in crafting recommendations and training for audiences with a wide range of preservation and conservation knowledge.
4. Demonstrated success fostering effective working relationships across multiple departments or divisions. Strong ability to lead with influence and to work with colleagues from a wide range of roles and backgrounds.
5. Expert ability to gather, organize and interpret data to support decision-making, policy setting and programmatic approaches. Strong computer skills and the ability to work in a full range of applications including word processing, collection management systems, spreadsheets, and databases.

Preferred Education, Experience and Skills

Master’s degree in Art/Museum Conservation or MLS with Advanced Certification in Conservation. Experience developing and providing training to specialists in other fields. Experience in library archives and hands-on conservation treatment. Knowledge of conservation principles for cultural heritage materials; of chemistry, material science research related to conservation.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Plans, researches, implements conservation treatments for rare books, manuscripts, and other related materials from the Library’s special collections and archives.
2. Examines the materials composition and deterioration of objects in order to develop and execute successful conservation treatments.
3. Engages cooperatively with curators, librarians, archivists, and collection managers to provide information regarding condition, potential risks, and options for acquisition, treatment, loan and exhibit for individual objects and groups of objects and the advisability of acquiring, loaning or exhibiting such material as well as the preservation options for long-term retention of such materials.
4. Makes recommendations and devises or adapts treatment methods, with respect to an object’s value, meaning, collection context and anticipated use.
5. Creates accurate written and photographic documentation for examinations, treatments and other activities.
6. Undertakes item-level condition surveys and assists with planning strategies for improvements to collection care.
7. Advances knowledge, skills, and develops specialization through professional development opportunities such as conferences and workshops.
8. Keeps current with changes in the field.
9. May supervise and/or train staff.
10. Handles hazardous materials used in treatment in accordance with current federal, state, and local regulations and policies.
11. Participates in library system-wide planning, committees, and work groups, and engages in campus, regional and national professional organizations and collaborative activities.
12. Monitors developments and best practices elsewhere to help ensure the excellence of Yale’s collections and research support services.
13. Assists with disaster recovery efforts.
14. May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

1. Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited library school. In selected instances, a post-graduate degree in a related discipline may be required or substituted for a master’s degree in library science.
2. Demonstrated excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communications and analytical ability.
3. Demonstrated record of designing projects and bringing them to a conclusion in a timely fashion.
4. Experience working collaboratively and independently with varied groups within a complex organization and rapidly changing, team environment. Yale University assigns ranks to librarian positions based on a combination of professional experience and accomplishments (see range assigned to this description as noted in the ranking information can be found at http://bit.ly/YULRanksPromotions.