Librarian Assistant Professor/Librarian Associate Professor, Cuban Heritage Collection Librarian

University of Miami • Coral Gables, FL

4d

About The Position

The Cuban Heritage Collection Librarian plays a pivotal role in teaching, learning, and research at the University of Miami by connecting students and faculty with the Libraries’ unparalleled resources on Cuba and its diaspora. Reporting to the Esperanza Bravo de Varona (EBV) Chair and Director of the Cuban Heritage Collection (CHC), this position develops and manages collections of published materials in collaboration with colleagues while leading the CHC’s research, instructional, and outreach services. The librarian works in close partnership with academic departments, collaborating with faculty to integrate primary and secondary sources into coursework and guiding students through original research projects, theses, and dissertations. This role also fosters connections between the university and the broader scholarly and Cuban diaspora communities, ensuring the CHC remains a vibrant hub for academic engagement.

Requirements

• Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited program or equivalent, with experience in collection development, library instruction, and reference services within an academic or research library
• Strong knowledge of the history and culture of Cuba and its diaspora
• Proven experience supporting patrons through reference services, research consultations, and course-integrated instruction
• Proficiency in bibliographic tools and research resources
• Familiarity with trends, principles, and best practices in collection development and library instruction
• Oral and written fluency in both English and Spanish
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills
• Ability to assess goals and operational needs to develop and implement effective policies and procedures
• Strong commitment to providing excellent service
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment
• Demonstrated initiative, flexibility, and adaptability
• Meticulous attention to accuracy and detail

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with distinctive collections gained through internships or previous work experience
• Advanced degree in Latin American Studies or a related field
• Experience managing collection budgets and working with approval plans
• Supervisory experience
• Background in project planning, management, and successful completion

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary liaison for the Program in Cuban Studies and other relevant academic programs, building strong relationships with faculty to understand and support their teaching and research priorities
• Provide in-depth reference services and research consultations to undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and community members
• Provide course-based instruction that integrates CHC materials into the classroom and develops students’ research skills
• Design and develop outreach initiatives that engage students, faculty, and community members with the CHC’s collections, programs, and services
• Create research guides, instructional materials, and online resources tailored to academic courses and research projects
• Use data-driven assessment to recommend priorities for collection development, processing, preservation, and cataloging
• Collaborate with the Research Data & Open Scholarship team to promote digital scholarship tools and methodologies to students and faculty
• Contribute to exhibitions and public programming
• Supervise CHC Reading Room staff and manage reference services, including requests for digital reproductions and licensing
• Oversee remote reference services and correspondence
• Serve as CHC’s lead for the Aeon system to efficiently manage research and instruction requests
• Maintain and report statistics on usage, reference, and instruction services
• Select and acquire resources related to Cuba and its diaspora from regional, U.S., and international sources, informed by faculty research interests and student learning needs
• Monitor approval plans and firm orders to support curriculum, teaching, and research across multiple disciplines
• Coordinate acquisitions and cataloging workflows with Libraries’ Acquisitions and Metadata and Discovery Services teams
• Collaborate with CHC librarian faculty to manage annual acquisitions allocations and gift budgets for Cuban and Cuban diasporic materials
• Evaluate and recommend strategies for collection growth and space allocation based on academic program needs
• Participate in fundraising initiatives and represent CHC in community and professional activities
• Travel as needed to identify and acquire materials critical to the University’s teaching and research mission
• Depending on expertise and interests, explore collaborative collection development opportunities, ideas for community engaged programming, and partnerships with the Hemispheric University Consortium Library Network Service
• Stay current with emerging technologies, literature, and best practices in academic librarianship, teaching, and research support
• Actively participate in Libraries and University committees, task forces, teams, and other organizational initiatives
• Build professional networks to bring innovative ideas and opportunities to the UM community
• Engage in collaborative efforts through active participation in local, regional, national, and/or international organizations
• Represent and promote the University of Miami Libraries in professional organizations and broader professional communities as appropriate

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees