Karen L. Pavelka is a full-time lecturer in the School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin. She was been intimately involved with developing the conservation program when it moved from Columbia University in 1993 and continues to investigate the role of conservation in libraries and archives. Ms. Pavelka teaches the paper conservation labs, preventive conservation, and materials science. Before coming to The School of Information she worked in the Paper Conservation Laboratory at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, first as an intern, then as a conservator and eventually as head of the paper lab. Before settling on conservation she worked in various shops and institutions as a bookbinder.