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Curator, Latin American and Caribbean Collection, University of Florida

The Special and Area Studies Collections Department seeks an experienced leader to provide strategic vision and...

MINIMUM SALARY: $68,125 at the Associate University Librarian rank
$74,510 at the University Librarian rank
Actual salary will reflect selected professional's experience and credentials

DEADLINE: July 30, 2019 (applications will be reviewed as received)

Please note the specific instructions to submit application materials on our website and in the APPLICATION PROCESS section below. Failure to include all required documents may result in your application being disqualified.

JOB SUMMARY
The Special and Area Studies Collections Department seeks an experienced leader to provide strategic vision and overall management of a preeminent collection in a dynamic, engaging environment at the University of Florida. The Head Curator of the LACC will contribute to scholarship at the Smathers Libraries in this full-time, tenure-track faculty position. A successful candidate will serve as the key liaison for the Libraries' partnerships related to the Biblioteca Nacional de Cuba José Martí digitization project and other initiatives. The Head Curator will collaborate closely within the Libraries, with faculty and students at the Center for Latin American Studies, and with campus departments to promote distinctive collections and to support emerging research and teaching needs at the University of Florida.

The Head Curator will coordinate a collaborative team of experienced library faculty and staff in establishing LACC priorities, goals, and procedures for public services, technical services, and for the management of Latin American and Caribbean circulating and special collections, overseeing these materials budgets. The Head Curator will also participate in instructional, community, and fundraising outreach, bibliographical control, digitization projects, exhibits, and in consultation with the Chair, will liaise between the LACC unit and the Libraries' administration. The Smathers Libraries encourage staff participation in reaching management decisions and consequently, the Head Curator of LACC will serve on department and library-wide committees and teams. The incumbent will pursue research, publication, and professional service activities to meet library-wide criteria for tenure and promotion.

RESPONSIBILITIES
The Head Curator of the LACC is a faculty position with administrative responsibilities who will provide strategic leadership for the physical and digital holdings, personnel, and resources related to Latin American and Caribbean Studies in the Department of Special and Area Studies Collections. Responsibilities include overall management and development of the LACC holdings, programs, evolving and changing priority initiatives, and creating a strong team based unit through personnel management skills. This position initiates and manages strategic initiatives, programs, outreach activities, grants, and special projects, including a current initiative to digitize Cuba materials in partnership with leading North American repositories.

The following faculty responsibilities are integrated into the position of Head Curator of LACC:
• Advances the preeminence of UF through leadership in fields related to Latin American and Caribbean librarianship, with attention to the historically significant relationship of UF to Caribbean and Latin American studies and commitment to mutually-beneficial partnerships.
• Establishes and manages strategic projects that promote the national and international profile of LACC, its mission, and its holdings, in collaboration with and as requested by the Chair and other administrators. Serves as the key liaison with institutional partners, communicating effectively in English and Spanish.
• Maintains oversight for LACC collections, budgets, approval plans, and documentation, with supervision and evaluation of LACC faculty directly managing circulating and special collections. Establishes overall priorities for cataloging, selection, storage, transfer, and preservation, in consultation with circulating and special collections specialists.
• Provides consultative services and instructional outreach to faculty and advanced graduate students in Latin American and Caribbean studies, engaging with faculty and students to ensure Library support of university needs and awareness of relevant library resources and information; maintains currency with relevant emerging scholarship and resources at UF and in the field.
• Collaborates with Chair regarding support services and may directly supervise public services staff.
• Proactively advances access to LACC materials through UF digitization, creation and enhancement of metadata, and exhibition or other dissemination programs; as well as to related collections through partnerships such as Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) and the Cuban digitization project.
• Oversees the positioning of LACC within the Special and Area Studies Collections Department through collaborative services and alignment with departmental, Libraries, and UF goals; bringing the Libraries into close alignment with the Center for Latin American Studies faculty and programs.
• Works closely with the Libraries' Development Office (Development Officers and Public Information Officer) to organize fundraising and donor relations activities.
• Pursues professional development opportunities, including research, publication, and professional association activities, to meet library-wide criteria for tenure and promotion.
• Serves on Library and departmental consultative bodies as appropriate.

QUALIFICATIONS
Required:
• Professional level knowledge of Spanish and English.
• Experience working in a library, archival or information resources environment.
• Eight years of relevant experience, including subject and cultural expertise in Latin American and Caribbean studies with a record of progressive scholarly accomplishment.
• Strong management portfolio with experience leading change, supervising and promoting collaboration, and fostering staff professional development and growth.
• Excellent oral, written, interpersonal, and international communication skills to successfully and proactively interact with colleagues in the Libraries, the scholarly community, and institutional partners including those abroad.
• Evidence of leadership and/or collaboration in one or more major projects related to creating, disseminating or maintaining scholarly or cultural resources, such as a library collection.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team within a diverse client community of faculty, students, community members, administrators, staff, and library patrons.
• Record of including individuals of diverse backgrounds, experiences, races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientation, and perspectives in research, teaching, service and other work
• Strong potential to meet requirements for tenure and promotion (outlined here.)

Preferred:
• MLIS or advanced degree in a field relevant to position.
• Strong knowledge of existing and emerging trends in scholarship related to Cuba or the Spanish Caribbean.
• Excellence in bibliographical research, heritage preservation, or area related to librarianship.
• Experience in grant writing, budget management, and/or development.

APPLICATION PROCESS
To apply, submit:
• a cover letter detailing your interest in and qualifications for this position
• a written statement regarding creating and supporting a preeminent Latin American and Caribbean collection (250 words)
• your current resume or CV
• a list of three references including their contact information (telephone number and email address)
Apply by July 30, 2019 (applications will be reviewed as received). Submit all application materials through the Jobs at UF online application system at Requisition 48169. Failure to submit the required documents may result in the application not being considered. If you have any questions or concerns about this process please contact Bonnie Smith, George A. Smathers Libraries Human Resources Office, at bonniesmith@ufl.edu.

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