F/T - Assoc Mgr for Bk Conservation, The Met (NY)

The Thomas J. Watson Library in The Metropolitan Museum of Art is pleased to announce an opening for the position of Associate Manager for Book Conservation (Full-time, 5 days/week). This position is a special opportunity to contribute to the success of an innovative and productive art library at a world-class museum while learning and applying new skills.

The Associate Manager for Book Conservation plays the key role in managing the workflow of library materials that receive conservation treatment (3,600 items received major or minor treatment last year). This position reviews special collections purchase on a weekly basis to determine appropriate housing and storage. It maintains statistics on all book conservation activities; monitors and orders all supplies; maintains effective vendor relations; reviews all purchase and PCard transactions; and monitors the budget.  This position provides basic hands-on treatment and physical processing of library collections. The Associate Manager serves as a liaison between book conservation and Acquisitions and Technical Services in the library, and with Museum staff. This position is the point person for book conservation’s many specialized vendors. It will participate in collection surveys and staff training and disaster preparedness; and with outreach and training programs that promote the preservation of the collection.

 

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Applicants should submit a cover letter indicating how they satisfy the requirements above, a resume, and the names of three references to the following e-mail address: lib.search@metmuseum.org.

 

Responsibilities

·         Manages workflow of collection materials sent to book conservation for treatment

·         Serves as a liaison to staff in library departments such as acquisitions, technical services, and circulation

·         Serves as a point of contact for curatorial department staff

·         Assists with disaster planning and recovery and serve as a member of the Disaster Response Team

·         Manages and tracks Book Conservation expenditures and report to Finance Manager

·         Tracks Book Conservation treatment statistics and compiles Quarterly Reports on treatments and other activities

·         Participates in public presentations, lab tours, and development events, as needed

·         Trains and supervises conservation volunteers and interns in the processing of library materials and basic conservation procedures and processing

·         Participates in Watson Library instruction and book handling program for staff, interns, and volunteers

·         Maintains, orders and organizes conservation lab supplies  and related storage areas

·         Performs physical processing of newly acquired library materials to make them shelf-ready

 

Duties 

·         Creates and maintains documentation concerning conservation workflows and procedures

·         Meets regularly with staff in other library departments to establish and maintain workflows for different categories of materials and decide on treatment and housing for unusual items (artist books, oversize materials)

·         Creates preservation enclosures

·         Collaborates on the conservation review of library material for  digitization projects

·         Creates and tracks requisitions and purchase orders

·         Updates Workday with receipts and expense descriptions

·         Maintains accurate purchase records and reports periodically to library Finance Manager

·         Tracks book conservation treatment statistics and reports to Preservation Librarian, imports to integrated library statistics

·         Compiles quarterly report of department statistics and activities

·         Maintains staff, intern, and volunteer schedule and contact information

·         Trains all new Watson staff, interns, and volunteers in proper book handling procedures

·         Assists in preparation and installation of library exhibits. ,

·         With the Manager for Library Administration, manages the workflow of items being prepared for exhibition and assists with documentation including condition reports for exhibited, loaned, or borrowed collection materials

·          

·         Performs basic conservation treatments such as tip-ins, protective covers, enclosures, and encapsulation

·         Supervises labeling of outgoing materials

·         Provides service at Watson registration desk (2 hours  per week)

·         Works four Saturdays per year

 

Experience and Skills:

·         Ability to work effectively, both collaboratively and independently, in a service-driven environment required and working in a collaborative environment required

·         Experience in public service and training others preferred

·         Demonstrated proficiency in book handling and making simple hand bookbindings and preservation enclosures required

• Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills
• Commitment to fostering a workplace culture of teamwork, diversity, and inclusion.

·         Experience in budget management

·         Experience with Microsoft Office suite

 

Knowledge and Education:

·         Hand bookbinding training from work experience or professional training required

·         BFA and/or MLS preferred

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.