About Me

I am an experienced conservation leader with a demonstrated history of success in the library, cultural heritage, non-profit, and higher education industries. As a preservation and conservation administrator with 20 years of experience as a conservator of rare books, paper, and parchment, I have an interest in preventive practice; methods and materials; technical instruction; and how conservation can enhance communities and engage fellowship among allied professionals, scholars, and artists. My skills include Leadership, Empathy, Community Building, Conservation Treatment, Preventive Conservation, Preservation Administration, Disaster Response, Teaching, Professional Mentoring, Operations, Administration, Project Management, and Communications.

Recognized as a peer-reviewed Fellow of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC), I am active in national and international cultural heritage professional organizations. I currently serve as AIC Board Director of Communications with past service as Chair of the Book and Paper Group, AIC’s largest specialty group. In 2022, I received the AIC President’s Award in recognition for “exceptional work to foster communications and timely research in AIC, including work as lead developer of the association’s COVID-19 pulse survey”. I recently led a sub-committee on data gaps and financial sustainability for the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) “Held in Trust: Transforming Cultural Heritage Conservation for a More Resilient Future” report (2023). 

Between 2010-2017 I was invited to teach numerous hands-on professional development workshops to more than 120 conservators at leading national cultural heritage institutions, libraries, and museums across the US on diverse technical treatment topics (see https://sarahreidell.com/teaching/). My recent research focuses on AI and computer-aided techniques for paper characterization; data-driven strategic planning in cultural heritage; sustainability; preventive conservation; and project management.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahreidell/

Note, I am unable to provide private conservation treatments or consultations for works outside of my institution. Please refer to the American Institute for Conservation “Find a Professional” website to identify a conservator who can help you care for your collections or provide consultations: https://www.culturalheritage.org/about-conservation/find-a-conservator

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Margy E. Meyerson Head of Conservation (2016-present). University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Philadelphia, PA

Associate Conservator for Rare Books and Paper. The New York Public Library. New York, NY

Conservator for Special Collections in the Harvard University Library. Weissman Preservation Center. Harvard University. Cambridge, MA

Andrew W. Mellon Advanced Fellow. Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts. Philadelphia, PA

Special Collections Conservation Intern. Weissman Preservation Center. Harvard University. Cambridge, MA

AWARDS and HONORS

AIC President’s Award (2022)
Fellow of the American Institute for Conservation (2016)

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

AIC Board Director for Communications, 2022-2025
NEH Held In Trust, Financial/Field Sustainability Working Group, chair (invited)
BPG Chair (appointed)
AIC Publications Committee, Chair (appointed)
BPG Publications Committee, Chair (appointed)
BPG Program Chair (elected)
BPG Assistant Program Chair (elected)
Institute of Museum and Library Services, Grant Reviewer
Library Collections Conservation Discussion Group, Co-chair (appointed)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC)
  • International Council of Museums (ICOM)
    • International Committee for Conservation (ICOM-CC)
    • International Committee on Museum Management (INTERCOM)
    • International Committee for University Museums and Collections (UMAC)
  • International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC)
  • International Association of Book and Paper Conservators (IADA)

EDUCATION

  • University of Texas at Austin . Master’s of Library and Information Science and Certificate of Advanced Studies in Conservation & Preservation of Library & Archival Materials
  • Bryn Mawr College. Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology