John Kroondyk, dual master's student at Indiana University, pursuing a Master of Library Science and Master of Arts in Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

John Kroondyk is a dual master’s student at Indiana University, pursuing a Master of Library Science and Master of Arts in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and International Studies from Aquinas College, where he also worked in the library throughout his undergraduate years.

John’s coursework is focused on Portuguese-language literature and Brazilian studies. He is also a graduate assistant at the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS), where he is currently preparing for a Brazilian studies symposium in collaboration with Luis A. Gonzalez and Indiana University Libraries. The set of events will explore the digitization work being done on the Brasil: Nunca Mais collection by the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), the Latin American Microform Project (LAMP), and the Justice Department of Brazil.

During the spring of 2012, John worked as an intern with two Latin American and Caribbean studies librarians in New York City. At Columbia University, John interned with Sean Knowlton and created a research guide on Brazilian music in conjunction with broader preparations for Brazilian World Music Day, an event that was held on September 7, 2012 in collaboration with the ARChive of Contemporary Music. He also created an exhibit of Columbia’s Brazilian music resources at the Wiener Music and Arts Library.

While at New York University, John interned with Angela Carreño in collection development at the Bobst Library, continuing his study of Brazilian music by creating a LibGuide on Tropicália resources at NYU. John then presented a paper on his research at SALALM LVII titled “Viva Tropicália: Covering the Movement and its Legacy,” for which he was awarded a Presidential Travel Fellowship. Following the conference, John was able to continue his study of Portuguese as part of a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) summer fellowship in Fortaleza, Brazil.

As he finishes his master’s program at Indiana, John is focused on web development and will create a new website for the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. His coursework has also led to research on the work of faculty affiliated with Latin American and Caribbean studies at Indiana University, in order to better understand the field and the information needs of those working in it. John plans to use all of these various skills to serve students and scholars as a future academic librarian, and hopefully as a subject specialist in Latin American and Caribbean studies.