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The Library & Information Science Professional's Career Development Center |
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Careers in Preservation Librarianship |
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When I teach Preservation of Library and Archive materials the first thing I ask my students is, “What does preservation mean to you?” Their answers typically involve fixing broken books and torn documents. By the end of the semester, I hope their eyes have been opened to the wide variety of issues that preservation librarians face and that they are more aware of the knowledge and skills they need to plan and carry out their institution’s preservation mandate. Carolyn Clark Morrow writes, “Every library seeks to keep the materials that comprise its collection in useable condition after they are selected and acquired, and for as long as they are needed as defined by the library’s mission.”1 Preservation in the largest sense includes both the direct and indirect actions used to ensure access to collection materials. The term “collection” in this case means traditional paper-based books and manuscripts as well as film, audio, video and electronic resources. As with other kinds of librarianship, preservation has become more and more specialized. The following are four of the most common job descriptions you will find within this field. Preservation Librarian or Administrator The preservation librarian is the person in charge of planning and implementing the institution’s preservation program. This usually means managing several units including conservation, library binding and reformatting. In many institutions shelf preparation and mass deacidification also fall within the preservation mandate. The preservation librarian’s role is to be familiar with all of these workflows and to ensure the work is carried out following strict quality standards. Indirect preservation actions are those policies and procedures that target the collection as a whole and improve the manner in which we keep our collections. It is the preservation librarian’s job to define and implement these actions. Many of these are familiar to everyone and may include developing food and drink policies, guidelines for the general care and handling of library material, and disaster plans. The preservation librarian must also be concerned with budgeting, education and outreach, environmental control, integrated pest management, collection security, selection criteria, building design, heating and cooling systems, stacks management, exhibition policies, disaster mitigation and recovery, collection surveys … the list is long. Perhaps most importantly it is the preservation librarian’s job to emphasize the importance of preserving the collections and to find funding for the preservation program. Funding comes from a variety of sources including library budgets and academic departments as well as federal, state and local granting agencies. Money may also come from private foundations and individual donors including alumni. The preservation librarian proposes projects or works with colleagues to develop projects that benefit the collection as a whole and advocates for their financial support. Successful resource management involves predicting future needs and trends and requires excellent grant-writing and interpersonal skills. Preservation Reformatting Librarian All collection material deteriorates over time due in part to heavy use, poor housing and environmental conditions, or in some cases because of how it is made. Paper becomes brittle, the layers that make up audio- and videotape delaminate and shed their magnetic particles, and the software used to read information on compact discs becomes obsolete and cannot be accessed. Many institutions use reformatting as one tool in their efforts to provide continued access to collections. Microfilming is the best-known reformatting technique, but there are other options available including creating facsimiles (photocopies) of brittle books, digitizing paper-based collections, and migrating analog or digital objects to newer formats. The preservation reformatting librarian is the person responsible for understanding the technology behind each reformatting option and managing the workflows efficiently. Some reformatting librarians specialize in a particular process such as digitization and imaging or a particular format such as audio or video reformatting. Reformatting librarians very often do not perform the physical reformatting but manage and train technicians to carry out the work and make sure the products produced conform to written quality standards. They also develop policies to determine how collection material is selected for reformatting and to ensure it is handled carefully throughout the workflow. They may also create systems that recognize when digital data may be on the verge of obsolescence so that it can be migrated before being completely lost. Reformatting librarians need to keep current with new technologies as they are introduced into the collection and develop preservation strategies for their long-term access. Because technology changes so fast, recognizing new technological trends and new uses for technology becomes one of the most important aspects of the job. A person in this position also needs to have excellent grant writing and fundraising skills and will need to be able to manage those grants wisely. Reformatting is one of the fastest-evolving preservation fields, especially with the advent of digitization as an access and preservation tool. Conservation Librarian or Conservator Conservation is the direct treatment and/or housing of objects in the collection including books, manuscripts, videotape or other formats. “The goal of a collections conservation program is to improve and stabilize the physical condition of library collections,” writes Jan Merrill Oldham.2 This holds true whether the conservator specializes in the repair and housing of general (circulating) collections or of special collections. Conservators must have not only knowledge of basic preservation theory and practice but also advanced training in repair techniques, organic chemistry, history of printing, and an in-depth knowledge of various media and supports including inks, pigments, graphite, paper, leather, vellum, plastics, etc. Many academic and research libraries now require an MLIS in addition to a certificate of study or on-the-job conservation training. Conservators are also required to maintain treatment records and uphold professional ethics such as the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice. Being a conservator within an institutional setting does not mean spending all of your time at the bench working on beautiful objects. Often conservators are required to manage and train technicians, ensure all work upholds quality standards, manage supplies and budgets, provide education and outreach for library staff and the public, conduct collection condition surveys, serve on committees, collect and report statistics, and serve on the disaster recovery team. Preservation Field Services / Consultant A growing specialization in preservation librarianship is the field service officer or consultant. Many regional centers have developed across the country to provide preservation and conservation services that would normally be out of the reach of small and mid-sized institutions. Field service librarians specialize in education and outreach, conducting collection surveys, disaster recovery, grant writing, and advocacy. They use these skills to help libraries with no formal preservation programs develop strategies for the long-term care of their collections. They may work directly with the library or act solely as advisors. Librarians in field service positions need excellent written and communication skills since they deal directly with the public and are often required to write reports or other supporting documents such as technical papers, how-to manuals, etc. Consultants are generally preservation librarians or conservators in private practice. A consultant may have one specialty, such as environmental control and equipment, or have multiple specialties. Many federal and state granting agencies require professional preservation consultation prior to funding preservation initiatives. Again, a consultant needs excellent oral and written communication skills on top of any knowledge their specialty requires. Professional Qualifications Other than a master’s degree in library science and, if appropriate, a certificate of advanced study in preservation, there are other desirable qualities that successful preservation librarians share. These include an ability to see the library as a whole and understand how preservation activities relate to its core mission. Part of this understanding includes a demonstrated concern for the physical collections as well as the information they contain. Problem-solving skills are important, especially when combined with a curiosity to evaluate materials, workflows and processes. Attention to details and excellent people skills are needed, as is the ability to be flexible and adapt to rapid change. In Conclusion Preservation is often thought of only in terms of large academic or research libraries, but it also extends to local historical collections, archives, and public libraries of all sizes. Nancy Carlson Schrock writes, “In the public libraries, preservation education spans a range of areas. It includes the attitudes and commitment of library staff and a preservation program that extends to all levels of library service.”3 In fact, a well-run preservation program at any public or private institution will involve the entire library staff in its mission to preserve the collections and make them accessible well into the future. As a preservation librarian you have the opportunity to work with almost every department in the library. Because of this cross-disciplinary aspect, preservation is one of the most rewarding specializations within librarianship. Resources
Notes 1. Morrow, Carolyn Clark, “Defining the Library Preservation Program: Policies and Organization,” Preservation Issues and Planning (Chicago: American Library Association, 2000), p. 1. 2. Oldham, Jan Merrill, and Nancy Carlson Schrock, “The Conservation of General Collections,” Preservation Issues and Planning (Chicago: American Library Association, 2000), p. 229. 3. Schrock, Nancy Carlson, “On Target: Reaching the Public Through Preservation,” Promoting Preservation Awareness in Libraries (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1997) pp. 174-175. Beth Doyle is the Collections Conservator for the Duke University Libraries. She earned her B.A. in Photography from the University of Dayton, Ohio, and her MLIS and Certificate of Advanced Study in Library and Archives Preservation from the University of Texas at Austin Graduate School of Library and Information Science. She teaches Preservation of Library and Archive Materials at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Information and Library Science. Article published February 2005 Disclaimer: The ideas expressed in LIScareer articles are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the LIScareer editors.
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Page last updated
10/03/2005
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