Book conservation placement
Elizabeth Soutar Award for Book Conservation Student Summer Placement
Employment status
This is a volunteering opportunity for currently enrolled students taking a relevant conservation course. The role is designed to be a learning experience and consequently, no contract of employment will be offered.
Expenses
Expenses of up to £2,500 for the eight-week period are available as a contribution towards living expenses, travel and accommodation during the placement.
Base location
Edinburgh
Dates
Start date is negotiable but the placement is expected to take place in July and August 2026.
Commitment
Due to the nature of the tasks and learning involved, the placement is not suitable for remote or hybrid working. Tasks and learning opportunities will run onsite between the hours of 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Please outline the hours you can commit to in your application.
Placement purpose
The National Library of Scotland is delighted to offer an 8-week Summer Placement in book conservation to help a currently enrolled conservation student develop bookbinding and book conservation skills. A grant for the Summer Placement is generously awarded by the Elizabeth Soutar Trust and will be paid via expenses.
What you will gain
The Library's Collections Care division has a long and well-established record of providing hands-on experience to the next generation of book and paper conservators. Through a carefully structured placement programme, the successful candidate will gain skills under expert supervision of current members of staff, contributing to the preservation of our collections while advancing their own professional development.
The role will be a training opportunity for a currently enrolled conservation student who is focussed on books, paper, or archival materials and will allow you to gain practical experience in book conservation with a specific focus on leather-bound collections. In addition to gaining meaningful hands-on experience, you will be provided with a reference following the successful completion of the placement.
Placement tasks and learning outcomes
You will be given the opportunity to develop skills in recognising and reproducing different types of leather covered bookbinding structures, and to describe and repair leather-bound collections.
Under supervision, you will learn to:
Produce condition reports on designated items from the Library’s collections.
Complete specific treatments on a range of collection items and
Maintain written and photographic documentation of this work.
You be required to provide a report to the Elizabeth Soutar Trust and the Library on the work completed and skills gained during the placement.
The opportunity will enable you to take part in appropriate outreach or education activities, to share learning from the placement and to encourage better understanding of conservation and the work of the Library.
Essential requirements
You must be enrolled at the time of application on a recognised course in conservation, specialising in either books, paper, or archival material.
Knowledge of current professional book/paper conservation standards and issues.
You will be required to comply with all Library policies which are relevant to volunteers.
How to apply
Please send your CV along with your answers to the five questions below to jobs@recruitment.nls.uk The closing date for receipt of applications is 14 April 2026 and brief interviews for shortlisted candidates will be held online on the 27 and 28 April 2026.
The questions are (max 3000 characters per question):
Please tell us what has motivated you to apply for this placement and confirm whether you are currently enrolled as a conservation student for the 2026 to 2027 academic year.
Describe a piece of your conservation project work you are especially proud of. What makes it special for you?
Describe a successful learning experience you have had previously. What did you do to ensure that success?
Describe a time when your ability to communicate effectively made a meaningful difference to others.
Tasks and learning opportunities will run onsite between the hours of 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Please outline the hours you can commit to.
Eligibility
Applicants must be currently enrolled students of conservation at an academic institution at the time of placement. Graduates will not be eligible for this opportunity.
Applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK at the time of application and for the duration of the placement – expected to end 31 August 2026.
Applicants must be willing to commit to the hours agreed at the commencement of the placement for the eight-week duration.
Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to Level 1 Disclosure Scotland security clearance.