Open Letter to Potential Employers
I am currently a second-year graduate student in the book and paper conservation program offered by the Kilgarlin Center for Preservation of the Cultural Record at the University of Texas at Austin. I am looking for a 9-to-12 month internship that would allow me to build upon the knowledge I have gained through my classwork and my most recent work experiences here in Austin.
During my first year in Texas, I worked under the direct supervision of Stephanie Watkins, Head of Paper Conservation at the Harry Ransom Center. I undertook a long-term manuscript mending project, as well as shorter, exhibit-specific surface cleaning, mending and tape removal assignments. During this time, Stephanie and I discussed her treatment decision-making processes, the prioritization of the lab’s treatment workflow, and the execution of her outreach programs, both within and beyond the HRC’s curatorial departments.
My current employment as Preservation Assistant at the Alexander Architectural Archive at The University of Texas at Austin has familiarized me with executing environmental monitoring for the archives, drafting preservation plans, researching display case lighting, and devising creative enclosure options for collections in need. I look forward to treating a wide variety of architectural drawings, blueprints and manuscript materials during this next year.
What I am seeking, in an internship setting and through the start of my professional conservation career, is the continued development of both my book and paper treatment skills and my understanding of the interrelationship between conservators and collections care professionals, especially how to accommodate professional expectations for use and aesthetics while respecting an object's physical needs and limitations. I wish to challenge myself with more advanced treatments that require both unique technical solutions and the nuanced integration of modern materials.