Conservator

Date Posted: Oct 8, 2024

Requisition ID: 450875

Location:

Indianapolis, IN, US, 46202

Begin a fulfilling career with the State of Indiana by joining one of the largest employers in the state, offering a diverse range of opportunities across 60+ agencies. At the state, you'll find competitive compensation, a robust benefits package and a commitment to work-life balance. Most importantly, you'll have the chance to make a real and measurable impact on the lives of Hoosiers across Indiana.

At the State of Indiana, we don’t just talk about diversity and inclusion—we make it our goal to create a welcoming, accessible, and equitable workplace with a workforce that is representative of Indiana's population. As a proud equal opportunity employer, reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to complete the application and interview process as well as perform the essential functions of a role.

About the Indiana State Library:

The Indiana State Library and Historical Bureau is a public library building, located in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the largest public library in the state of Indiana, housing over 60,000 manuscripts. Established in 1934, the library has gathered a large collection of books on a vast variety of topics.

Role Overview:

The Conservator is responsible for the planning, implementation, and administration of a comprehensive preservation program for the Indiana State Library (ISL). The Conservator provides professional expertise in determining the proper course of treatment for ISL’s collections and supervises staff, interns, and volunteers involved in preservation activities. The Conservator serves as a resource on preservation issues for state and local government agencies and public libraries across Indiana. Goals and objectives are attained within an environment of elevated responsibility and in support of broader institutional goals and vision.

Salary Statement:

The salary for this position traditionally starts at $53,222.00 but may be commensurate with education or work experience.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Develops and implements preservation and conservation initiatives designed to meet the needs of ISL’s diverse holdings in the collection of over 3 million items. Works collaboratively with librarians and administrators to set priorities and determine appropriate preservation strategies and efficient workflows.

• Conducts collection-level and item-level condition assessments for both general and special collections materials. Provides treatment options in careful consideration of available resources, collection context, and use patterns.

• Coordinates preventive conservation activities such as environmental control, disaster planning and emergency response, and integrated pest management.

• Manages conservation laboratory. Responsible for the selection and maintenance of appropriate conservation supplies, tools, and equipment. Evaluates and improves workflows while ensuring treatments meet AIC ethical standards and safe lab protocols.

• Uses and maintains specialized conservation equipment (e.g. suction table, board shears, wall cutter, ultrasonic encapsulator, fume extractor, microscope, environmental monitoring equipment).

• Trains staff, interns, and volunteers in conservation procedures and lab protocols. Evaluates training needs and assists staff in acquiring the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to improve job performance.

• Develops educational training and awareness programs and conducts instructional classes on preservation for staff, library users, state and local government agencies, and public libraries. Serves as a resource to library staff, state and local government agencies, and public libraries regarding activities that may have a preservation impact.

• Plans, documents, and performs a wide variety of conservation treatments on general and special collections materials. Scope of expertise is principally bound volumes on paper with additional expertise in related areas such as maps, prints, drawings and manuscripts on paper, photographic materials, and other library/archive materials.

• Documents conservation treatment through reports, photo documentation, and statistics.

• Acts as a consultant to the Exhibits Committee to assist with any training, treatments, and installation assistance that might be needed.

• Manages outsourcing of conservation treatments that cannot be performed in-house.

• Identifies potential sources of grant funding for conservation activities. Collaborates with librarians and administrators in grant writing and other fundraising efforts to support preservation programs.

• Works with supervisors in coordinating outgoing loans.

• Active in professional organizations and represents ISL at conferences and other related events.

• Acts as point person and trains on equipment including, but not limited to, the Gunnar Aiox Hybrid XL box making machine and Phase One camera system.

• Promotes awareness of the Indiana State Library and the conservation lab including working with the communications director to publish various social media posts promoting lab activities, and discussing lab activities during library tours.

• Other duties as assigned.

  Job Requirements:

• Master's degree from a recognized conservation training program.

• Minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience with a variety of paper-based materials including books, manuscripts, maps, and photographs.

• Exceptional manual skills and ability to perform high quality conservation treatments as demonstrated by a portfolio of work.

• Detailed understanding and high-level experience of relevant conservation theory and practice.

• Knowledge of preservation and conservation standards, guidelines, and trends; emerging preservation technologies, including digital preservation, and the preservation of non-print formats.

• Has a thorough understanding of and follows laboratory chemistry and lab safety protocols and procedures.

• Experience training volunteers/staff in preservation standards as well as basic conservation activities (surface cleaning, mending, creation of custom housings, encapsulation).

• Strong background in personal time management, and the creation and implementation of an efficient workflow

  Supervisory Responsibilties/Direct Reports:

• Supervises some staff, volunteers, and interns to ensure proper preservation techniques are being used at all times

  Difficulty of Work:

• Incumbent must be knowledgeable in all aspects of preservation. They must also ensure continual maintenance and conservation efforts are being thoroughly planned and executed to sustain the Indiana State Library historical collection.

  Responsibility:

• This position works to monitor the environment in which the collection is stored to prevent deterioration. They also work to repair damage already done to items in the collection to prevent further deterioration.

  Personal Relationships:

• Supervise staff with their involvement in preservation activities, interns, and volunteers to ensure proper preservation techniques are being used at all times. Work with other State Library staff and supervisors. The Conservator serves as a resource on preservation issues for state and local government agencies and public libraries across Indiana.

  Physical Efforts:

• The position requires some walking, standing, stooping, climbing, working with various preservation chemicals and occasional lifting of up to 40 pounds.

  Working Conditions:

• Work is performed in a library, lab and office setting

  Benefits of Employment with the State of Indiana:

  The State of Indiana offers a comprehensive benefit package for full-time employees which includes:

• Three (3) medical plan options (including RX coverage) as well as vision and dental plans

• Wellness Rewards Program: Complete wellness activities to earn gift card rewards

• Health savings account, which includes bi-weekly state contribution

• Flexible work scheduling options, including the potential for hybrid remote work for employees whose work may be performed outside state facilities

• Deferred compensation 457B account (similar to 401k plan) with employer match

• Two (2) fully-funded pension plan options

• A robust, comprehensive program of leave policies covering a variety of employee needs, including but not limited to:

• 150 hours of paid new parent leave

• Up to 15 hours of paid community service leave

• Combined 180 hours of paid vacation, personal, and sick leave time off

• 12 paid holidays, 14 on election years

• Education Reimbursement Program

• Group life insurance

• Referral Bonus program

• Employee assistance program that allows for covered behavioral health visits

• Qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

• Free Parking for most positions

• Free LinkedIn Learning access

  Equal Employment Opportunity:

  The State of Indiana is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruiting, selecting, developing, and promoting employees based on individual ability and job performance. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunity to all people in all aspects of employer-employee relations without discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or veteran status. We will comply with the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable state and federal laws.

  If you are a qualified individual with a disability and require reasonable accommodations to complete this application, you can request assistance by contacting the Indiana State Personnel Department at [email protected] .

  The State of Indiana has established a culture that welcomes equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all employees and applicants. We encourage you to apply if you feel you have the transferrable skills to be successful in this position and we look forward to reviewing your application.

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