Sarah Reidell

Sarah Reidell is the Margy E. Meyerson Head of Conservation in the Penn Libraries where she leads and manages the Steven Miller Conservation Laboratory that cares for the long-term stability of the Libraries' collections and supports the mandate of the newly formed Preservation Department. She is a conservator who specializes in the care and treatment of bound, paper, and parchment materials. Sarah received an MLIS/CAS in the Conservation and Preservation of Library and Archival Materials from the University of Texas and a BA in Anthropology from Bryn Mawr College. She was elected Fellow of The American Institute for Conservation (AIC) in 2016 and held previous appointments at The New York Public Library and Harvard University Library’s Weissman Preservation Center.

Established in 2016, the Steven Miller Conservation Laboratory program has three primary goals: stabilization and protection of the collection in all analog formats; preparation for exhibits and loans; and collaborative outreach to support other areas of the library and pedagogy. Sarah created and co-leads an Ivy Plus Conservation alliance for conservation programs at 13 major research universities and the informal CLAMP (Conservators at the Library and Museum at Penn) which fosters cross-campus fun and information sharing. The Steven Miller Conservation Laboratory was an early partner of the Penn Green Labs initiative and is committed to greening our laboratory practices to support Penn’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0.

Sarah recently served as the Chair of the AIC Book and Paper Group, the largest specialty group within AIC. She has also lectured and led numerous hands-on professional development workshops for conservators at leading national cultural institutions on areas of technical expertise and conservation practice. Sarah is a current member of the Field Sustainability Task Force for the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC) "Held in Trust" project which will align with the overall goals of A More Perfect Union, NEH’s vision for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.