2025-2026 Willman Spawn Conservation Internship (Full Year) – American Philosophical Society
Listing Start Date: November 9, 2024
Expires: January 31, 2025
The Library & Museum of the American Philosophical Society seeks graduate students in library or paper conservation for a paid 2025–2026 Willman Spawn Conservation Internship. The successful candidate will report to the APS Conservation Department and will gain practical experience in a professional conservation laboratory through conservation treatment of manuscripts, books, documents, and other graphic materials on paper, as well as environmental monitoring and rehousing of materials. The intern’s special interests and specific goals will be considered as part of the internship. The intern will also be expected to write a blog post about the internship and to give an informal talk to library staff.
The American Philosophical Society (APS), the oldest learned society in the United States, was founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin for the purposes of “promoting useful knowledge.” In the 21st century, it serves to advance knowledge and promote scholarship in the humanities and social, mathematical, life, and physical sciences. Members of the Society are elected from among the most eminent scholars and civic and cultural leaders in North America and abroad. More than 100 living APS Members are Nobel laureates.
The Library & Museum’s collections make the APS among the premier institutions for documenting and exhibiting the history of the American Revolution and the founding of the United States, the history of science from Newton to NASA, Native American languages and culture, and the development of American anthropology. The Library houses more than 14 million manuscripts, 275,000 volumes and bound periodicals, 250,000 images, fine art, and other objects. Museum exhibitions interpret these extensive collections for the regional, national, and international visitors who come to Philadelphia’s historic district. These exhibitions aim to nurture the spirit of inquiry, promote critical thinking, and engender enthusiasm for object-based learning by using primary source documents and authentic objects. The Library & Museum also hosts a robust fellowship program, offering more than 25 short-term and 10 long-term fellowships each year to scholars who use its collections.
For further information on APS Library & Museum Collections, visit amphilsoc.org/library and http://amphilsoc.pastperfectonline.com/.
The APS Conservation Department is headed by book conservator Renée Wolcott and is currently in the process of hiring a paper conservator. Together the conservation staff is responsible for item-level conservation of library materials, surveying the collections for conservation and preservation needs, monitoring the library environment, and preparing library materials for loan and exhibition.
The American Philosophical Society is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment on any basis including race, creed, color, age, sex, gender, religion, or national origin. The APS values diversity and inclusion and encourages diverse applicants to apply. Successful applicants will be asked to show proof that they can legally work in the United States. The APS is unable to sponsor international work visas.
The 2025–2026 yearlong internship is designed for graduate students who are currently pursuing studies in an accredited master’s program in art conservation. The internship will be full time between September 2025 and August 2026; the exact length and start date are negotiable. The internship is temporary and no benefits are offered with this position. Preference will be given to applicants entering the third or fourth year of their master’s program in art conservation, whose internships are part of the required training for their degree. Such advanced interns will receive a stipend, up to $11,000 depending on the length of the internship.
Application Instructions:
To apply, upload a resúmé or CV, a cover letter explaining qualifications for and interest in the position, and a list of three references (not letters of reference, please) through Interfolio: apply.interfolio.com/158707. The application deadline is January 31, 2025.
Direct any questions to Renée Wolcott, Head of Conservation, at [email protected].