Preservation Librarian

University of Alabama at Birmingham; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Preservation Librarian at Reynolds-Finley Historical Library, a faculty, 12-month appointment at UAB, leads a comprehensive preservation program to safeguard rare medical and historical materials. Responsibilities include preventive care, environmental monitoring, IPM, conservation and repair, and coordination of digitization and digital preservation.

The role supports exhibitions, research access, and general collections preservation for UAB Libraries, partnering with curators, archivists,

Qualifications

• Accredited master’s degree in library or information science, conservation, museum or archival studies, or related advanced degree.
• Experience applying preservation principles, including environmental monitoring, IPM, handling/storage standards, and stacks maintenance.
• Experience in policy development related to preservation issues in libraries.
• Ability to function in a team environment and as an individual contributor.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to lift and move boxes weighing up to 40 pounds and retrieve material from shelving units.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain preservation policies, priorities, and workflows for multi-format collections.
• Lead and/or represent preservation conversations on committees and working groups.
• Coordinate preservation activities with other libraries and archives.
• Manage environmental monitoring, IPM, stacks maintenance, and storage/handling standards.
• Lead disaster preparedness and emergency response training for RFHL; coordinate across units.

Skills

Master's degree-related expertise

Team collaboration

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Physical ability

Education

Accredited master’s degree in library or information science or related field

Tools

Digitization workflows

Job description

Position: Preservation Librarian
Rank: Open Rank
Department: Reynolds-Finley Historical Library
Division: Historical Collections
Reports to: Curator, Reynolds-Finley Historical Library
Updated: 09/01/2026

Reporting to the Curator of the Reynolds-Finley Historical Library, the Preservation Librarian is a faculty position (non-tenure, 12-month appointment) within the Historical Collections Division of University Libraries at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The Preservation Librarian provides strategic leadership and hands‑on direction for a comprehensive preservation program for the Reynolds-Finley Historical Library to ensure long‑term access to collections. This includes preventive care, such as environmental monitoring, integrated pest management, and stacks maintenance; conservation and repair of materials; digitization coordination; and digital preservation policy and practice. The Preservation Librarian assists with exhibition development as well as researchers and class visits to ensure proper handling of materials. Additionally, the Preservation Librarian will provide preservation support to the general collections of UAB Libraries as needed.

Repository Details

The Reynolds-Finley Historical Library is a collection of rare books, manuscripts, pamphlets, and journals pertaining to the history of medicine, science, and health care dating from the 1300s through the mid-1900s. The Reynolds-Finley Historical Library has eight medieval and Renaissance manuscripts and 32 incunabula, as well as letters written by Florence Nightingale, Louis Pasteur, and George Washington. In addition, discrete collections are held in the areas of Civil War medicine, Middle Eastern medicine, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, and African Americans in medicine.

The Reynolds-Finley is part of Historical Collections at UAB Libraries, which includes two additional collections: the Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences and UAB Archives. Together, the three units manage the Dennis G. Pappas Historical Collections Gallery, with nearly 3,000 square feet of exhibition space. UAB Libraries facilities include Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences, where Historical Collections units are located, Mervyn H. Sterne Library, Lister Hill Library at University Hospital, Sparks Medical Library in Huntsville, and an off-site storage facility.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Policy

• Create and maintain preservation policies, priorities, and workflows for multi‑format collections.
• Lead and/ or represent preservation conversations on committees and working groups.
• Address preservation issues that arise within the UAB Libraries general collections, including providing staff training and consultation on preservation issues.
• Coordinate preservation activities with the Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences and UAB Archives.

Preventive Care & Risk Management

• Manage environmental monitoring (temp/RH, light/UV), IPM, stacks maintenance, and storage/handling standards.
• Advise on space planning for RFHL and Historical Collections.
• Lead disaster preparedness and emergency response training/recovery for RFHL; coordinate across units and, when relevant, regional partners.

Conservation

• Create condition reports for rare materials.
• Perform or direct book/paper treatments, including binding repairs, creating boxes and other enclosures, and preparing items for exhibition.
• Maintain documentation of conservation work completed.

People, Budget & Reporting

• May supervise and mentor staff, students, and interns.
• Collect statistics and deliver internal/external reports.

Training & Outreach

• Deliver staff and patron training on proper materials handling.
• Develop awareness programs for all Libraries staff on preservation issues.

Access, Reference, and Research Support

• Assist with reference services to researchers, faculty, students, and the public, both in person and remotely, when requested to do so by Curator, Reynolds-Finley Historical Library.
• Enforce reading room policies and materials handling policies in accordance with security and preservation standards.

Instruction and Outreach

• Assist with instructional sessions for classes visiting the Reynolds-Finley Historical Library, when requested.
• Participate in outreach activities, including exhibitions, presentations, tours, and events that promote collections and services.

Collaboration, Scholarship and Professional Service

• Work collaboratively with librarians, archivists, and staff across the library to support shared goals and initiatives.
• Stay informed of trends and best practices in rare books librarianship and preservation.
• Actively participate in professional development and scholarship opportunities leading to presentations and publications.
• Participate in service activities as appropriate.

Minimum Qualifications

• Accredited master’s degree in library or information science, conservation, museum or archival studies, or other related advanced degree.
• Experience applying current principles and practices in preservation, including managing preventive care of collections, environmental monitoring, integrated pest management, handling/storage standards, and stacks maintenance.
• Experience in policy development related to preservation issues in libraries.
• Ability to function in a team environment and as an individual contributor.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to lift and move boxes weighing up to 40 pounds and to retrieve material from shelving units.

Preferred Qualifications

• Digital preservation policy/tools experience; digitization/reformatting workflows.
• Ability to perform and supervise conservation treatments for books and paper materials.
• Bench skills in conservation (bindings, enclosures, exhibit prep) and lab management; American Institute for Conversation membership or post‑graduate conservation training.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and complete projects in a timely manner.

UAB is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution dedicated to providing equal opportunities and equal access to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, sex (including pregnancy), genetic information, age, disability, and veteran's status. As required by Title IX, UAB prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to UAB's Assistant Vice President and Senior Title IX Coordinator. The Title IX notice of nondiscrimination is located at uab.edu/titleix.