Olivia Primanis is the Senior Book Conservator at the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, where she performs conservation treatments and manages the book lab and special projects. She is interested in general conservation and preservation subjects relating to library and museum materials and specific topics such as disaster recovery, the study of minimally invasive book repairs and 19th century photo album history and structure. She began her training with Jean Gunner at Hunt Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, and owned an art and binding supply store "The Bookbinder" (1976-1984) in Pittsburgh, PA. In 1984 she moved to Los Angeles, CA and continued teaching and her private practice in book conservation until moving to Austin in 1990.