Student Programs > Other Opportunities > Photograph Conservation Internship

Photograph Conservation Internship

Program Description:

The Conservation Division at the Library of Congress is one of five Divisions that falls within the Library's Preservation Directorate. The prospective Photograph Conservation Intern can expect to interact with a large percentage of the staff on a broad cross-section of materials. The Division presently employs several dozen conservation professionals. In addition to the permanent staff, there are a variety of special projects conducted by contract personnel, which serve to further enrich the Intern's experience. Located within the Conservation Division is the Preservation Directorate Resource Center, staffed by a full time Librarian, which contains one of the most comprehensive collection of conservation literature available.

The goal of the Internship is to provide an educational opportunity for conservation graduate students seeking training in photograph conservation. Interns focus on conservation problems in a research library context and be challenged to develop solutions for a broad range of photographs and collections. Interns may have opportunities in variety of areas listed below including: documentation, examination, treatment, housing, preventive conservation, and research. In addition to practical exercises and projects, Interns may develop and expand their knowledge in fundamental areas of photograph conservation, such as photographic theory, process identification, deterioration mechanisms, storage environments, and emergency preparedness and recovery.

Documentation:

Interns master a variety of written documentation formats including checklist and narrative Library of Congress report forms and condition surveys using various technologies. Interns are encouraged to work with the staff photographer to become familiar with various forms of photographic documentation in use at the Library. Included are color and B/W photography, and digital imaging as well as photomacrography. While not part of typical photograph conservation documentation, beta radiography and transmitted light for recording paper structure, and photography with UV and IR light sources are also available.

Examination:

Interns are required to perform appropriately detailed examinations of objects in preparation for treatment and/or research. Techniques commonly employed include visual examination using a variety of light sources, as well as binocular magnification. Various means of film-base identification are available. Various spot testing procedures used in paper conservation for identification of adhesives, paper additives and fibers are also available if needed. Collaboration with the Research and Testing Office and access to additional instrumental analytical equipment is possible.

Exhibition:

Numerous Library initiated exhibitions as well as an active loan schedule require a portion of the Division's resources. Interns learn about the Library's exhibition-related policies and participate in pre-exhibition examination and treatment, and occasionally installation.

Housing:

Interns are required to complete projects by providing a proper housing for the objects they treat. Interns learn the basic housing forms, including clamshell boxing, standard matting and polyester film encapsulation.

Lab Maintenance:

Interns are expected to participate in regular conservation laboratory maintenance activities along with the rest of the staff. They are periodically responsible for preparing stock materials. Interns will experience first hand the dynamics of working in a communal space with a large professional staff.

Preventive Conservation:

Interns have the opportunity to participate in preventive conservation activities such as care of film-base and color materials in cold storage, environmental monitoring, stack cleaning, archival housing projects, emergency preparedness, and collection surveys.

Research:

Interns are encouraged to engage in a research project during their Internship. This may be involved with research projects already initiated by the Division or those proposed by the Intern. Most desirable are those that can be completed within the Internship year. Topics for projects are of the Intern's choosing, subject to approval by supervisors. Interns are also encouraged to fully utilize the Preservation Resource Center and to remain current with conservation literature.

Treatment:

The prospective Intern undertakes a wide range of conservation treatments over a twelve-month period at the Library. Various techniques of dry cleaning, consolidation, removal of extraneous materials, flattening, mending, filling (including leaf-casting), toning and inpainting, mount repair and removal, lining, tape removal, stain reduction, treatment of albums, and treatment of case photographs may be performed and/or observed. An impressive range of materials is typically encountered within a single year ranging from very early daguerreotypes to large contemporary photography. Particular strengths of the Library's collections are 19th century photography (including daguerreotypes, Civil War era photography, and Pictorial photography) and 20th century documentary photography. Photograph conservation Interns may have the opportunity to work closely with rare book and paper conservators on special projects. For example, albums are treated in collaboration with book conservators and paper conservation treatments such as washing, deacidification, bleaching, sizing, and use of enzymes are among the treatments performed by paper conservators.

Tours:

The Library of Congress has tremendous quantity, quality and diversity in its holdings. Interns are given the opportunity to tour Custodial Divisions as well as other Divisions of the Preservation Directorate.

Training and Conservation Professional Activities:

Interns are given the opportunity to participate in outreach activities such as lab tours and public inquiries. Interns are encouraged to participate in the Washington Conservation Guild by attending meetings and giving lectures. Interns will meet with curators and historians to discuss individual objects and their treatment. The Washington area is home to many museums and other institutions with conservation facilities that are available for visits.

Selection Procedure:

Candidates will be selected on the basis of conservation knowledge, skills, and abilities, an active commitment to professional ethics as stated in the American Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, effective communication skills, and an understanding of library and archival collections.

The Library may accept one or more advanced level Interns per year in the Photograph Conservation Specialization. Length of Internship is typically 11-12 months and generally follows the academic year. Other options are possible depending on time available, current Library staffing and work load, and the candidate's interests and qualifications. Résumé and two letters of recommendation along with a formal letter of application may be requested. A personal interview with portfolio is scheduled with Internship coordinators. In the case of applicants who are not able to present their portfolio in person, telephone interviews and letters of recommendations may be substituted at the discretion of the Internship supervisor.

Application Schedule:

Applications due by February 1st.
Announcement of selection will be made by April 15th.
Internship begins in the early part of September.