Whitney S. Baker

Whitney Baker
  • Librarian; Head, Conservation Services

Contact Info

785-864-3568

Biography —

Whitney Baker received her MLS with an Advanced Certificate in Library and Archives Conservation from the University of Texas at Austin. She completed her undergraduate work at KU (BA Chemistry and Spanish), and has held the post of Conservator for KU Libraries since 2002. She previously worked in conservation at the Library of Congress and the University of Kentucky.

Baker teaches MUSE 706, Conservation Principles and Practices, for the Museum Studies program.

Education —

M.L.S.; Advanced Certificate in Library & Archives Conservation, University of Texas at Austin, 1998, Austin, TX
Advanced internship (8 months), Book Conservation Lab, Library of Congress, 1998, Washington, D.C.
Graduate work (21 hrs), Library and Information Science and Center for the Book, University of Iowa, 1995, Iowa City, IA
B.A. in Chemistry and Spanish with highest distinction, University of Kansas, 1994, Lawrence, KS
Study abroad, Spanish language, 1992, Málaga, Spain

Selected Publications —

Baker, Whitney. 2019. “A Comparison of Standard Practice Treatments in Research Library Book Conservation, 2007 to 2017.” Journal Articles. Library Resources and Technical Services 63 (2): 82–103.
Baker, Whitney. 2019. “An Analysis of Training and Institutional Context on Book Conservation Practices in Research Libraries in 2007 and 2017.” Journal Articles. Book and Paper Group Annual 38.
Anderson, Priscilla, Whitney Baker, Lynne M. Thomas, and Beth  M. Whittaker. 2016. “A Janus Perspective: Origins and Future of 21st-Century Preservation and Conservation in Library and Archives Special Collections. .” Book Chapters. In Special Collections in Libraries: New Directions, 137–48. Libraries Unlimited.
Baker, Whitney. 2015. “Responding to High-Volume Disasters in the Research Library Context.” Book Chapters. In Handbook of Research on Disaster Management and Contingency Planning in Modern Libraries, edited by Emily Decker and Jennifer Townes, 282–310. Hershey, PA: IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-8624-3.ch013.
Baker, Whitney. 2015. “Sticking Point: History, Manufacturing Techniques, and Preservation of Decals.” Journal Articles. Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals 11 (4): 275–89.
Baker, Whitney, Kelly McCauley, and Jia-Sun Tsang. 2015. “Sustaining the Unsustainable: Mitigation and Monitoring for Modern Materials.” Periodicals (newsletter, magazine, etc.). AIC News. American Institute for Conservation. http://hdl.handle.net/1808/18694.
Anderson, Priscilla, Whitney Baker, Beth Doyle, and Peter Verheyen. 2014. “Open Access: A Model for Sharing Published Conservation Research.” Periodicals (newsletter, magazine, etc.). AIC News. http://hdl.handle.net/1808/13646.
Baker, Whitney. 2012. “Special Collections, General Collections, and Hybrid Conservation Labs.” Book Chapters. In The Planning and Construction of Book and Paper Conservation Laboratories: A Guidebook, edited by Jennifer Hain Teper and Eric Alstrom, 32–48. Chicago: American Library Association. http://hdl.handle.net/1808/13031.
Baker, Whitney. 2012. “The Populist Conservator: A Sticky Case Study.” Journal Articles. Book and Paper Group Annual 31, 25–28. http://hdl.handle.net/1808/12837.
Baker, Whitney. 2011. “Soapbox for the Automobile: Bumper Sticker History, Identification, and Preservation.” Journal Articles. Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals 7 (3): 251–70. http://hdl.handle.net/1808/9874.
Dube, Liz, and Whitney Baker. 2011. “The Impact of Training and Institutional Context on Book Conservation Practices.” Journal Articles. Book and Paper Group Annual 29, 143–60.
Baker, Whitney, and Liz Dube. 2010. “Identifying Standard Practices in Research Library Book Conservation.” Journal Articles. Library Resources and Technical Services 54 (1): 21–39. http://hdl.handle.net/1808/5818    .
2010. “Speaking of Paper: The Anita Lynn Forgach Keynote Speakers, 1998-2005.” Other. Edited by Whitney Baker. Lake Oswego, OR: Friends of Dard Hunter, Inc.
Baker, Whitney. 2007. “Conservator, Academic Library.” Book Chapters. In A Day in the Life: Career Options in Library and Information Science, edited by Priscilla Shontz and Richard  A. Murray, 89–93. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Selected Presentations —

Baker, W. (10/23/2018). Preserving Artifacts of Free Speech: Caring for political memorabilia. Connecting to Collections Care. Online webinar. https://www.connectingtocollections.org/preserving-artifacts-of-free-speech/
Baker, W. S. (6/2/2018). Preserving artifacts of free speech: Simple solutions for buttons, T-shirts, and bumper stickers. Archives Discussion Group, American Institute for Conservation Annual Meeting. Houston, TX
Baker, W., Liebl, B., & Schulte, R. (10/25/2016). More objects than expertise: A collaborative housing and access project. Mountain Plains Museum Association Annual Meeting. Oklahoma City, OK. http://hdl.handle.net/1808/22002
Baker, W. (5/17/2016). Disaster response: The human element. Archives Conservation Discussion Group, American Institute for Conservation / Canadian Association for Conservation joint annual meeting. Montréal, QC, Canada
Baker, W., Tedone, M., & Verheyen, P. (4/22/2015 - 4/23/2015). Sustainable preservation programs. American Library Association/Association for Library Collections and Technical Services e-forum. Online. http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/features/e-forum-sustainable-preservation
Baker, W., Seo, H., & Tedone, M. (4/24/2014). Soot, mold, and mud: Beyond the basics of salvaging archives collections. Midwest Archives Conference. Kansas City, MO
Baker, W., Craig , S., & Woodrick, R. (10/2/2013). Soaked: Responding to a large-scale water disaster. Mountain Plains Museum Association Conference. Lincoln, NE
Baker, W. (5/5/2012). From greeting cards to posters: Preserving paper ephemera. National Archives-Central Plains Branch, Preservation Matters symposium
Baker, W. (5/10/2012). The populist conservator: A sticky case study. American Institute for Conservation annual meeting. Albuquerque
Baker, W., & Dube, L. (6/25/2011). How consistent are research library book conservation practices?. American Library Association, Preservation and Reformatting Section, Book and Paper Interest Group. New Orleans, LA
Baker, W., & Dube, L. (4/24/2008). A preliminary study of current book repair and conservation in research libraries: A survey of the landscape. American Institute for Conservation annual meeting. Denver, CO. http://cool.conservation-us.org/coolaic/sg/bpg/annual/v27/bp27-02.pdf

Awards & Honors —

Sustainability Leadership Award
University Office of Sustainability
2019
Fellow status
American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC)
2019
Anschutz-Budig Outstanding Librarian Award
KU Libraries
2013
University of Kansas Team of the Year Award
University of Kansas
2013
Jayhawk of the Month
KU Libraries
2011
Best of LRTS
Awards Committee of the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services, American Library Association
2011
Sabbatical leave
University of Kansas
2010
Professional Associate status
American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC)
2003

Grants & Other Funded Activity —

Improving the Physical Environment in Spencer Research Library. National Endowment for Humanities. $50000.00. Submitted 12/13/2016 (10/1/2017 - 3/31/2019). http://hdl.handle.net/1808/29407. Federal. Status: Funded
Decalcomania: A preservation study. University of Kansas General Research Fund, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research & Graduate Studies. $1720.00. (12/31/2013). University (KU or KUMC). Status: Funded. To support research travel to the Cincinnati Historical Society.
The bumper sticker: Preserving the message. University of Kansas General Research Fund, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research & Graduate Studies. $1864.00. (12/31/2010). University (KU or KUMC). Status: Funded. For sabbatical research travel. (Competitive process; reviewed and approved by Library Committee on Research and Scholarly Activity). FY2010.
Improving energy efficiency in collection storage in Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas. National Endowment for the Humanities. $350000.00. Submitted 1/30/2020 (10/1/2020). Federal. Status: Funded