We are saddened by the news of Pamela Spitzmueller passing on March 13, 2025. Pam was the University of Iowa Libraries’ second conservator, serving from 1989–1999.

After leaving Iowa, Pam was the chief conservator for Special Collections in the Harvard University and College Libraries where she directed the Special Collections Conservation Lab in the Weissman Preservation Center until she retired. Pam also spent time at the Library of Congress and the Newberry Library in Chicago.

Pam’s inquisitive nature is well known by the staff, interns, and students who worked with her. It is said that Pam’s classes, workshops, or tutorials were about asking questions and “trying things out.” She inspired investigation that required making and specifically making models. Pam’s creative work was largely inspired by historical structures, and she was constantly experimenting. Her artist book work and conservation work merged, creating hypothetical books with “what if?” elements that continue to delight and amuse.

Pam created book models while studying book structure and Conservation and Collections Care at the UI Libraries is pleased to house many of them in the Book Model Collection.

You can learn more about Pam and her life as a conservator and book binder in her archive at the UI Libraries and some of her artist books can be found Special Collections.