Conservation Staff Profiles: Lisa Clark

January 30, 2026

A woman at a bench working with paper objects. — Lisa Clark is conservation technician working on-site at Baker Library at the Harvard Business School.

What led you to this job/the field?

After majoring in art history, I wanted a career that was art-related in some way. I happened across the field of conservation and dipped my toe in with a few workshops and short internships. Then I completed the two-year bookbinding program at the North Bennet Street School in Boston.

What do you do every day?

I spend the majority of my time repairing and re-housing items in the Baker Library Special Collections and Archives. It's an amazingly broad collection about the history of business, in all its forms.

What is your favorite project/object/treatment you’ve worked on?

After the Polaroid Corporation went bankrupt, Baker Library acquired its extensive collections, which include business records, advertising, and product research. We're working to safely house objects like camera prototypes and polarizing lenses.

What do you think people should know about the importance of conservation?

There's so much work that goes on behind the scenes in libraries to make sure that items continue to be accessible into the future. It all requires a lot of staff and resources.

A woman standing in front of an open exhibition case placing an item.