Proposing Division,
Unit, Group or
Individual
Proposed Title
Faculty Rank
Estimated Salary
Potential sources of funding for position
FACULTY & AP POSITION REQUEST
Area Studies Division/Future International and Area Studies
Library (IAS)
Librarian for Latin American, Caribbean and International
Studies
Tenure Track Assistant/Associate Professor
$55,000
One vacant faculty position. After Nelly Gonzalez retired her position was never filled. Paula Carnes from Modern
Languages Library is now a part-time Latin American and
Caribbean (LAC) Librarian.
Future Head of IAS Reports to
Recommended time frame for filling
(immediate need, 6 months, 1 year, etc.) and explanation
Position Need &
Rationale: explain how this position contributes to the Library’s strategic goals
6 months. The filling of the position was recommended by the Spring 09 International and Area Studies New Service
Model Team.
UI holds the fourth largest collection of Latin
America/Caribbean materials in the nation; LAC Librarian would be responsible for maintaining and developing this very significant resource.
-- Latin American and Caribbean is a core area of strength across the campus. CLACS at UI has been designated a
Title VI NRC continuously since 1976. Connections to
Latin America span LAS, Engineering, Medical School,
Business, Law, Media, FAA, ACES. This is a growing area of strength on our campus (see the recent Lemann gift) that will require sustained support from the Library. Recently established Lemann Institute for Brazilian Studies promotes study and research about Brazil by faculty and students at
Illinois and their Brazilian counterparts who take advantage of UIUC’s extensive Brazilian resources. Building on longstanding collaboration with Brazilian scholars in economics and agriculture, as well as nearly a half-century

Brief position description and job duties of teaching and research in Brazilian literature and history, the Institute seeks to foster knowledge and understanding of
Brazil across disciplines and colleges. The success of the
Institute will require strong support from the Library.
--The success of the new IAS Services Module will rest in part on the expertise of dedicated Librarians for each of the component parts of the new unit. Latin America is the only one of the units not represented by a single full-time librarian .
-- The loss of this position will be an indication of a lack of institutional support that will jeopardize future Title VI funding. This funding provides support for collection development and helps maintain an active community of
Latin Americanist faculty and students that have helped make our LAC library collections among the very best in the world.
This position oversees collections and services for Latin
American studies and includes the following duties:
Collections
1.
Overseeing the Latin American Blanket Order, which entails establishing subject profiles for each country, assessing monthly shipments of LABO books, working with Acquisitions in the processing of
LABO books and working closely with the book dealers.
2.
Working with European vendors to acquire European imprints of books on Latin American topics.
3.
Making firm orders for books to complement those coming through 1 and 2.
4.
Purchasing electronic materials, such as films, databases, etc.
5.
Purchases and maintains print and online periodicals.
6.
Working with cataloguers to make sure that newly acquired Latin American and Caribbean titles are properly catalogued.
Services
1.
Serves as a liaison to the Center for Latin American
Studies.
2.
Provides reference, either in-person, by phone or email, on LAC topics.
3.
Offers instructional sessions on library tools.
4.
Responsible for redesigning and maintaining LAC
Web site and online research guides into Latin
American and Caribbean studies and collections.

Participates in the future IAS library efforts in digitization and digital repository building, and will be part of Library-wide efforts in this area.
5.
Leads efforts in systematically depositing appropriate
Latin American and Caribbean faculty research publications from scholarly journals into IDEALS in accordance to copyright clearance and faculty permission.
How might this position evolve to meet continuing Library needs in 5-10 years?
Library EC, rev. Sept. 2006
Staffing parity among area libraries is crucial to the success of the new IAS module and crucial to the continued excellence of the LAC collections and LAC-related services to library users in the new library environment. This position will be heavily involved in the Library’s ongoing efforts in developing a successful International and Area
Studies model and its close collaboration with global studies.