Centre for Research Collections Internships at the University of Edinburgh The Centre for Research Collections (CRC) has developed a programme of internships to teach and extend core skills in the archive, conservation and research disciplines. Collections Rationalisation Project Internships: Collections Management (2 posts) Conservation (1 post) The Centre for Research Collections is offering three internships, providing experience of library collections management and basic conservation, to deal with an old backlog of un‐ accessioned printed books. The collections management interns will sort the books, selecting those suitable for retention and carrying out the preliminary processing for adding them to the collections, and identifying and processing those for disposal. The conservation internship will clean and carry out basic preventative conservation tasks on the books which are selected for addition to library stock. ******************* Collections Management Internships ‐ 2 posts, 4 weeks each, with a stipend of £1325. The post will suit someone who is interested in a pursuing a career in libraries or the cultural heritage sector and would like to gain experience. It will offer an insight into the principles and procedures of stock management for our Rare Books Collections, including selection, basic processing, deselection and disposal. The internship will offer the successful candidate valuable work experience in their chosen career to enhance future employability. The intern will be well supported by CRC staff and offered extensive opportunities to develop their skills. The interns will be working under the direction of the Assistant Rare Books Librarian, and will be based in the Centre for Research Collections. The role involves checking the books against the catalogue and assigning them to the correct category, based on a set of criteria. It requires the ability to deal with books in several European languages, without necessarily having much knowledge of the language. A lot of physical handling of books and movement of trolleys is involved. Wider experience of working in the library and higher education sectors will also be offered. Closing date for applications: Wednesday 26th April 2017 Informal interview date: Tuesday 2nd May 2017 Proposed starting date: Monday 15th May 2017 Essential Criteria: Ranked An awareness of cultural heritage issues and understanding of handling and access requirements for unique primary source material Attention to detail and a high level of accuracy Competent IT skills Excellent communication skills; able to work alone and as part of a team Ability to organise and prioritise own workload Reasonable physical fitness Desirable Criteria: Ranked Previous experience of working with collections Basic knowledge of Latin or a modern European language, and willingness to use common sense to handle material in unfamiliar languages Some knowledge of bibliography, book history, literary or cultural history or a related area. ******************* Conservation Internship ‐ 1 post, 8 weeks, with a stipend of £2650. This programme is ideally suited for those who are interested in pursuing a career in conservation or cultural heritage and would like to gain experience before applying to courses offering professional qualification. It is also suitable for those who have recently completed a relevant professional qualification but are yet to gain paid or permanent employment in the sector. The internship will offer the successful candidate valuable work experience in their chosen career to enhance future employability. The intern will be well supported by CRC staff and offered extensive opportunities to develop their skills. The intern will be working with rare books, and will be based in the conservation studio. This role will primarily involve surface cleaning work. Working under the direction of the Special Collections Conservator, the intern will also support a range of collections care activities within the CRC. Wider experience of working in the archive and higher education sectors will also be offered. Closing date for applications: Wednesday 26th April 2017 Informal interview date: Tuesday 9th May 2017 Proposed starting date: Monday 22nd May 2017 Essential Criteria: Ranked An awareness of cultural heritage issues and understanding of handling and access requirements for unique primary source material A high level of attention to detail Good manual dexterity Good communication skills Enthusiasm for and commitment to the internship programme and for a career in the cultural heritage (conservation) sector Desirable Criteria: Ranked Good time management skills Previous experience in the heritage sector An understanding of basic conservation principles and practice ******************* To apply for either of the internships, please provide the following: your CV of no more than 2 sides of A4 (to include your contact details, information on your qualifications and any previous voluntary or work experience, and contact details for two referees), a supporting statement of 500 – 1000 words detailing why you are interested in the internship and describing how participation in the programme would benefit your future career, confirmation that you are eligible to work in the UK. A statement in your CV, covering letter or supporting statement is sufficient at this stage. Please note that applications without 1 – 3 above will not be considered. Applications may be sent via email or post to Serena Fredrick (serena.fredrick@ed.ac.uk; Centre for Research Collections, Edinburgh University Library, 30 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9LJ). Applicants will be shortlisted and selection will be based on a subsequent, informal, interview at the CRC. Please note that expenses to attend the informal interview will not be paid. For further information please contact Serena or Elizabeth Quarmby Lawrence elizabeth.quarmbylawrence@ed.ac.uk (regarding the Collections Management Internships) or Emily Hick on emily.hick@ed.ac.uk (regarding the Conservation Internship).