Blog
Curator for Latin American, Iberian, and Latino Studies at NYPL
- By: admin
- On: 11/06/2018 12:55:30
- In: Job & Internships
Curator for Latin American, Iberian, and Latino Studies
Overview
With a collection that exceeds 46 million items, and a mission to advance knowledge and inspire lifelong learning, the New York Public Library stands as one of the world's great public research libraries. Its four research centers provide opportunities for engagement with in-depth and unique collections, inspirational reading rooms, exhibitions, programs, and a range of research services.
NYPL's collections on Latin America, Iberia, and the Hispanic experience in the United States constitute an international resource of considerable importance, measured by the depth and variety of the research materials held, and the large numbers of unique and scarce materials in the collections. The Latin American collections span the history of the region from the earliest rarities to present-day publications and are rich in primary source documents, literary texts, ephemera, and many other resources that serve both the scholar and student. Collections on Spain and Portugal are equally extensive, with particular strengths in literature and history, including manuscripts and rare books from the Golden Age through the Age of Discovery and the Spanish and Portuguese colonial period in the Americas. Building on these historic strengths, the Library has continued to document the history and literature of Latinos in the United States, particularly in New York City. The broad scope of NYPL's collecting over the years has resulted in a collection that provides extraordinary opportunities for interdisciplinary research across the full range of humanities and social science topics, and, consequently, within each of its four research centers.
The Curator for Latin American, Iberian, and Latino Studies provides essential leadership in the development, management, and promotion of the Library's research collections in these areas. Based within the Collections and Research Services department, which is responsible for establishing a unified strategic vision for NYPL's Research Collections, the Curator works collaboratively with staff across the Research Libraries to coordinate the development of the collection and the delivery of research services that help position the Library as a vital resource to support learning, creativity, scholarship, and enterprise.
Responsibilities
The Curator will provide strong and effective subject expertise and leadership in developing and promoting the Library's collections documenting Latin American, Iberian, and Latino culture, serving as the primary spokesperson for the collection, and undertaking activities that advance expanded use and other strategic goals.
In support of teaching, learning, and scholarship, the Curator will contextualize the collections in a variety of ways, including through exhibitions and publications, and will facilitate digital humanities and other scholarly projects, and collaborate on the development of public programming and educational resources. The Curator is responsible for raising awareness of the collections and cultivating new communities of users, including a supportive donor base. The Curator will actively engage in fundraising activities to support the needs of the collection, fellowships for researchers, and new initiatives.
Drawing on an understanding of the collection's historical strengths, its use, and scholarly trends, the Curator will plan for, communicate, and implement strategies to build and shape the collections, and will investigate and make specific recommendations for special collections acquisitions across the Library, including the cultivation and pursuit of major new archival acquisitions.
The Curator will maintain and strengthen existing institutional partnerships and identify and initiate opportunities to collaborate on new approaches to building collections and promoting their use to both a national and international audience.
- Promotes scholarly, educational, and general use of the collections in collaboration with divisions across the Research Libraries, in particular, the Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, the Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the Library for the Performing Arts
- Participates in the ongoing evaluation and assessment of the collections to identify and build on collection strengths
- Identifies and makes recommendations for the acquisition of special collections. Explores new areas for further development of the collection and cultivates potential donors of materials; manages an acquisitions budget; coordinates a collaborative team approach for ongoing development of the general research collections
- Actively engages with researchers by providing consultative services; cultivates and builds strong relationships with the academic community through classes, outreach, and strategic partnerships
- Works closely with the Development staff on fundraising activities by identifying new opportunities, cultivating donor relationships, and preparing grant proposals, and other reports
- Identifies, evaluates, and prioritizes materials for digitization initiatives and helps facilitate the use of digital collections
- Collaborates with the Exhibition staff on the preparation of exhibitions that highlight the collections; develops thematic narratives, selects materials, prepares interpretive materials, and supporting publications
- Keeps abreast of the changing needs of researchers in the field, as well as emerging trends in research libraries, higher education, and humanities and social science scholarship in general
- Establishes a record of participation in and contributions to the profession by serving on committees and representing the Library at professional organizations, conferences, and various public meetings
Key Competencies
- Accountability and Professionalism – Demonstrates enthusiasm for and commitment to the position and accepts responsibility for personal actions.
- Customer Service – Commits to meeting the expectations of internal and external customers. Listens and responds effectively to customer questions; resolves customer problems to the customer's satisfaction; respects all internal and external customers.
- Collaboration and Teamwork – Supports a positive team environment in which members participate, respect and cooperate with each other to receive desired results.
- Job-Specific Knowledge and Skills - Plans, prioritizes, and organizes work effectively to produce measurable results; keeps current with and effectively applies new work methods, skills and technologies to complete work.
Qualifications
- Ph.D. in topic related to Latin American history or Hispanic literary studies, or an MLS from an ALA-accredited program and advanced relevant subject degree.
- Minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in an academic or research library, or cultural organization setting or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to speak and write effectively in both English and Spanish.
- Fluency in English and Spanish.
- Demonstrated knowledge of current practices and emerging trends in humanities and social sciences scholarship and research libraries in general.
- Successfully demonstrated experience in public speaking, as well as teaching and instruction that promotes the use of primary source documents.
- Successfully demonstrated ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment.
- Demonstrated knowledge of special collections, including archival research.
- Record of professional engagement and contribution, such as research, publication, and involvement in pertinent professional and scholarly organizations.
- Successfully demonstrated analytical skills and familiarity with various assessment methodologies.
Preferred Qualifications
- Working knowledge of Portuguese and at least one other Western European language.
- Familiarity with library preservation practices.
- Experience with the preparation and curation of exhibitions.
Categories
- All categories
- News
- In Case You Missed It
- Scholarships
- Book Fairs & Trip Notes
- Institutional News & Research Grants
- In Memoriam
- Enlace Scholarship
- Secretariat
- New Members
- Honorary Members
- Dan C. Hazen Fellowship
- Institutional Collaborative Initiatives Awards
- Job & Internships
- José Toribio Medina Award
- Member Highlights
- Presidential Messages
- SALALM Conferences
- SALALM Speaks
- dospuntocero
Archive
- November 2024
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
Contributors
- Manuel Ostos
- Adan Griego
- David Block & Paula Covington
- Betsaida Reyes
- Taylor Leigh
- Jana Krentz
- Jean Dickson
- Anonymous
- Antonio Sotomayor
- David Block
- Holly Ackerman
- Fernando Acosta-Rodríguez
- Kaydee McCann
- Suzanne Schadl
- Luis A. Gonzalez
- Lynn Shirey
- Gayle Williams
- Hortensia Calvo
- Lisa Gardinier
- Ashley Larson
- Bronwen Maxson
- Daisy Domínguez
- Elmelinda Lara
- Marisol Ramos
- Martha Mantilla
- Melissa Guy
- Nelson Santana
- Jesús Alonso-Regalado
- Paloma Celis-Carbajal
- Peter Johnson
- Rachel Stein
- Richard F. Phillips
- Roberto Delgadillo
- Ryan Lynch
- Sócrates Silva
- Timothy Thompson
- Bruce Bachand
- Orchid Mazurkiewicz
- Paula Covington
- Maria Pizarro
- Michael Scott
- Diego Godoy
- Pamela Graham
- Daniel Schoorl
- David Woken
- Meaghan Lacy
- Paula Covington & Orchid Mazurkiewicz
- Christine Hernández
- Stephanie Rocio Miles
- Alison Hicks
- Sarah Buck-Kachaluba
- Aquiles Alencar Brayner
- Jill Baron
- Tina Gross
- Laura Geiken
- Anne Barnhart
- Marta Raposo
- Nerea Llamas
- Pamela Graham & Orchid Mazurkiewicz
- Patricia Figueroa
- Rafael Tarragó
- Talia Guzman Gonzalez
- Teresa Chapa