Book Conservators

Because of the damage that dirt, humidity, and the sun can cause to books, most conservators work in clean, climate-controlled areas away from direct sunlight. Many conservation labs are small offices, which often employ the conservator alone or perhaps with one or two part-time assistants. Other labs are part of a larger department within an organization; the University of Chicago's Regenstein Library, for instance, has a conservation lab within its Special Collections Research Center. With this type of arrangement, the book conservator generally has a few student and nonstudent assistants who work part-time to help with some of the conservation duties.