University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Philadelphia, PA
Position Overview:
The University of Pennsylvania Libraries seek a leader to spearhead its first system-wide Preservation and Conservation program in its 250-year history. With nearly 6 million printed volumes, in addition to growing archival and digital collections, Penn Libraries is committed to ensuring access to these materials for current and future generations of scholars. Reporting to the Director of Collection Development and Management, the MacDonald Curator of Preservation will work in a distributed environment, partnering with colleagues throughout the library system to develop and implement a systematic, decentralized program to preserve and provide access to library assets in all formats, physical and virtual.
Proactive advocacy and application of preservation principles and practices within Penn Libraries is fundamental to the position. The MacDonald Curator of Preservation develops and coordinates collection lifecycle management best practices and policies in an environment of shared responsibility, as general and special collections are created, acquired, processed, reformatted, used, and stored. In collaboration with relevant staff, the incumbent investigates new strategies and technologies to address the current challenges to long-term preservation and access to Penn’s heterogeneous collections. This assessment and consultation role includes responsibility for developing effective policies and coordinating them across library departments, in consultation with curators and bibliographers as well as technical processing, facilities, technology and repository staff.
Penn will follow best practices as borne out by the international community, which are evolving with the shifting needs presented by new types of library resources as well as by emerging technology solutions. The MacDonald Curator of Preservation plays an active role for Penn in the review and adoption of relevant protocols, and ultimately must assess the impact on local resources.
The University of Pennsylvania, http://www.upenn.edu/, is a private, Ivy League comprehensive research university in Philadelphia founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin and his circle. It comprises twelve schools, 3,800 faculty and an enrollment of 20,000 students, equally divided between undergraduate and graduate/professional school students.
The Penn Libraries, http://www.library.upenn.edu/, include fifteen libraries and an off-site high density storage facility. System-wide scholarly resources number nearly 6 million books, 44,000 current serials (of which 16,000 are e-journals) and 700 databases. The library is a leader in the development of digital library services and collections and is aggressively experimenting with and adopting new technology in research and teaching, including courseware.
Position Responsibilities Include:
In collaboration with other library administrators and specialists, the MacDonald Curator of Preservation will:
- Provide leadership and advocacy across Penn Libraries as it continually assesses the values, risks, and costs of preservation strategies associated with assuring long-term access to the full breadth of collection materials in all media.
- Develop and coordinate preservation and conservation activities across departments to support the Libraries’ need for a wide variety of preservation services. These include, but are not limited to: preventive preservation, conservation, book repair, commercial library binding, end-processing, and reformatting paper-based materials.
- Coordinate the preservation activities of the Conservation Unit and Postcataloging Unit as integral to a well-articulated, systematic preservation program.
- In a team environment, bring preservation expertise to Penn’s emergency response and disaster preparedness programs.
- Participate in the planning and implementation of a new conservation lab for special collections in the context of a library-wide preservation program. Advise on preservation standards for other library facility and renovation projects.
- Collaborate with technology and metadata specialists, regarding standards and processes for digital preservation.
- Work closely with Penn Libraries’ facilities and operations managers to routinely monitor and review, and when necessary to remediate, environmental conditions as they affect collections.
- Identify potential sources of grant funding for preservation projects and write grant proposals. Negotiate with vendors for services and partnership opportunities.
- Build and foster productive relationships with local and national professional organizations involved in the full range of preservation activities.
Qualifications:
Required: Master’s degree in a relevant field and specialized training in preservation and a minimum of five years of relevant professional experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience in a research institution. Demonstrated ability to manage complex activities carried out in a distributed work environment. Training and experience in print and non-print preservation best practices as well as knowledge of issues and trends, including demonstrated knowledge about lifecycle management of digital assets. Ability to plan, organize and coordinate workflows; to encourage team work and cross-departmental collaboration; and to analyze and solve complex problems. Excellent oral and written communication skills, including demonstrated ability to prepare reports, document procedures, draft policies, and conduct and interpret surveys. Excellent organizational and management skills with a strong public service orientation.
Desired: Record of participation in relevant professional and educational activities. Demonstrated success in writing grant proposals and donor relations.
Compensation and Benefits:
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. Includes a generous benefits package – additional information available at http://www.hr.upenn.edu/jobs/benefits.asp.
Applications:
Potential candidates are invited to submit a letter of application which addresses the needs and qualifications of the position, along with their resume and the names, addresses, and phone numbers of three references who can address the suitability of the candidate for the position described, as well as complete an on-line employment application at http://www.hr.upenn.edu/jobs (Job Reference # 091127581).
Direct link: https://jobs.hr.upenn.edu/...tral?quickFind=190674
To ensure full consideration, applications should be submitted by January 5, 2010. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt and will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled.
The University of Pennsylvania is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.
