Latin American and Caribbean Studies Librarian at UIUC

• By: admin
• On: 02/02/2012 15:37:10
• In: Job & Internships

Latin American and Caribbean Studies Librarian

Assistant/Associate/Full Professor of Library Administration

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Position Available:
Position available immediately. This is a 100%, twelve-month, tenure-system appointment.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The University Library seeks a dynamic individual to provide subject expertise and leadership for the interdisciplinary field of Latin American and Caribbean Studies with particular focus on the social sciences (e.g., history, anthropology, sociology). The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign supports undergraduate and graduate-level research and teaching on Latin American and Caribbean Studies through the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies and a number of other departments and programs such as the Lemann Institute for Brazilian Studies. This position will contribute to the development of the Library's new International and Area Studies Library, which provides support for research and teaching in a variety of areas including Slavic, East European & Eurasian Studies, East Asian, South Asian, and Middle Eastern Studies, Africana Studies, Latin American & Caribbean Studies, and Global Studies, as well as Library-wide programs and initiatives. The successful candidate will serve as a liaison to the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies,  the Lemann Institute for Brazilian Studies, and related programs, and will work closely with faculty to establish collection priorities, develop and manage Latin American and Caribbean Studies collections, and provide information, instructional, and scholarly services related to these subject areas.
Position Description
Reporting to the Head of the International and Area Studies Library, the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Librarian will contribute to the University Library's suite of service activities, including: teaching and learning, research services, collection development, digital tools, scholarly communication activities, public engagement, and technical services. The Latin American and Caribbean Studies Librarian collaborates closely with the Librarian for Spanish and Portuguese Languages and Literatures, as well as with other librarians responsible for collecting materials in fields related to Latin America and the Caribbean. Specific duties include:

• Serve as liaison to the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, the Lemann Institute for Brazilian Studies, and related areas;
• Provide reference, instruction and scholarly services to faculty and students with teaching and research interests related to Latin America and the Caribbean;
• Develop and maintain robust websites and other digital tools relevant to the subject area, and promote digital media and services;
• Promote the ongoing development of the Latin American and Caribbean Studies collection in all areas except for languages and literature, including the Latin American Blanket Order (LABO) and domestic approval plans;
• Establish and maintain cooperative relationships with dealers, content providers, exchange partners, libraries and other institutions connected with LAC Studies;
• Contribute to cooperative collection development programs initiated by the community of Latin American and Caribbean Studies Librarians and the consortia in which the University Library participates;
• Provide guidance on bibliographic control of resources from and about area of responsibility and collaborate with central technical services units on the acquisition, cataloging, and curation of collections and content relevant to the subject area;
• Contribute to Library-wide information, instruction, collection development, and scholarly services;
• Participate in outreach efforts to faculty and students, encouraging positive change in the system of scholarly publishing and communication;
• Monitor trends in scholarly publishing in areas of liaison responsibility to inform the design of library services and the development of library collections;
• Work closely with the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) and Lemann Institute for Brazilian Studies (LIBS) in their programming;
• Participate in the larger field of Latin American and Caribbean librarianship on the national and international levels with particular emphasis on fostering collaboration in collection development and library services; and,
• Service on Library or University committees, task forces, and working groups.

Environment:
The University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign is one of the preeminent research libraries in the world. With more than 13 million volumes and significant digital resources, it ranks second in size among academic research libraries in the United States and first among public university libraries in the world. As the intellectual heart of the campus, the Library is committed to maintaining the strongest possible collections and services and engaging in research and development activities in pursuit of the University's mission of teaching, scholarship, and public service. The Library currently employs approximately 90 faculty and 300 academic professionals, staff, and Graduate Assistants. For more detailed information, please visit http://www.library.illinois.edu/.
The Library houses one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of Latin American and Caribbean materials in the United States with a particular emphasis on Brazil and the Andes. The print collection includes over 600,000 monographs and annual subscriptions to 300 scholarly journals. The Latin American and Caribbean Studies collection encompasses all subject areas but is focused on the social sciences and humanities, including anthropology, economics, history, literature, linguistics, political science and sociology. The Library has subscriptions to a number of major online databases, including Hispanic American Periodicals Index, Chicano Studies Database, Latin American Popular Opinion Poll Database, Latin American Newstand and Prisma. In addition, the Library has an extensive collection of videos, films and maps relating to the region.
The Library consists of multiple departmental libraries located across campus, as well as an array of central public, technical, and administrative service units. The Library also encompasses a variety of virtual service points and “embedded librarian” programs. As Latin American Studies Librarian, the successful candidate will contribute to the establishment of a new departmental library dedicated to research, teaching, and learning in International and Area Studies <http://www.library.illinois.edu/ias/>, and will work closely with faculty and students across campus as part of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies <http://www.clacs.illinois.edu/>.
Qualifications:
Required: ALA-accredited Master's degree in Library and/or Information Science (or equivalent) or advanced degree with a focus on the Latin American and Caribbean region especially with emphasis in the social sciences; knowledge of current trends in scholarship and teaching of Latin American and Caribbean Studies; oral and written fluency in Spanish and reading knowledge of Portuguese; familiarity with major bibliographic tools in Latin American and Caribbean Studies; understanding of research methodologies in the humanities and social sciences; experience with current information technology and its application to collection development, reference, research, and instruction; knowledge of the current book trade in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe; ability to work with students, faculty and staff from diverse cultural backgrounds; demonstrated ability to work collegially and cooperatively with others in a team environment; demonstrated commitment to research and scholarship at the university level; demonstrated commitment to professional development; evidence of excellent oral and written communication skills in English
Preferred: Knowledge of one or more indigenous languages with preference for Quechua; reading knowledge of an additional non-English language; experience with the creation and use of digitized content for research and teaching; experience with teaching in a library or academic setting; experience in creating subject related web pages and guides; graduate-level study, or equivalent experience, in a field directly relevant to Latin American and Caribbean Studies; demonstrated initiative and proactive engagement in the academic environment; evidence of research, publication, and service consonant with University standards for tenure and promotion.
Salary and Rank:
Salary commensurate with credentials and experience. Librarians have faculty rank, and must demonstrate excellence in librarianship, research, and university/professional/community service in order to meet university standards for tenure and promotion. For more information, see http://www.library.illinois.edu/committee/promo/pta.html
Terms of Appointment:
Twelve-month appointment; 24 work days' vacation per year; 11 paid holidays; 12 days annual sick leave (cumulative up to a maximum of 240 days) plus an additional 13 days (non-cumulative) per year if necessary; health insurance, requiring a small co-payment, is provided to employees (coverage for dependents may be purchased); participation in the State Universities Retirement System is required upon appointment (8% of member's salary is withheld and is tax exempt until retirement); newly hired university employees are covered by the Medicare portion of Social Security, and are subject to its deduction.
Campus and Community:
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a comprehensive and major public land-grant university (Doctoral/Research University-Extensive) that is ranked among the best in the world. Chartered in 1867, it provides undergraduate and graduate education in more than 150 fields of study, conducts theoretical and applied research, and provides public service to the state and the nation. It employs 3,000 faculty members who serve 31,000 undergraduates and 12,000 graduate and professional students; approximately 25% of faculty receives campus-wide recognition each year for excellence in teaching. More information about the campus is available at www.illinois.edu. The University is located in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana, which have a combined population of 100,000 and are situated about 140 miles south of Chicago, 120 miles west of Indianapolis, and 170 northeast of St. Louis. The University and its surrounding communities offer a cultural and recreational environment ideally suited to the work of a major research institution. For more information about the community, visit: http://illinois.edu/about/community/community.html or http://www.ccchamber.org/.
To Apply:
To ensure full consideration, please complete your candidate profile at https://jobs.illinois.edu and upload a letter of interest, resume, and contact information including email addresses for three professional references. Applications not submitted through this website will not be considered. For questions, please call: 217-333-8169.
Deadline:
In order to ensure full consideration, applications and nominations must be received by 2/10/12. Interviews may occur before the closing date; however, no decisions will be made prior to the closing date.

Illinois is an Affirmative Action /Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ideas who embrace and value diversity and inclusivity.

www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu