Latin American & Caribbean Collection Specialist; time-limited - Library Associate

Latin American & Caribbean Collection Specialist (time-limited) - Library Associate 2

Job No: 538349

Work Type: Full Time

Location: Alachua

Categories: Libraries/Museums, Humanities

Department:  - LB-SPECIAL - AREA STUDIES-CHR

Library Associate 2

High School diploma or equivalent and seven years of library or relevant experience; or an Associate's degree and five years of relevant experience; or a Bachelor's degree and three years of relevant experience; or a Master's degree and one year of relevant experience; or any equivalent combination of experience, training and/or education.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a time‑limited position with funding through Dec. 31, 2027.

The Latin American & Caribbean Collection Specialist engages in collection management, public service, outreach, and other activities for the Latin American & Caribbean Collection (LACC), one of the preeminent collections of the University of Florida and one of the finest such collections in the world. The LACC Specialist works with LACC librarians to develop and manage a circulating collection of materials in all formats, including approximately 500,000 book volumes, 1,100 serials, 50,000 microforms, and a growing body of digital resources.

The Specialist supports acquisitions activities, works with donors, selects gift materials, and prepares materials for cataloging. In consultation with the LACC Special Collections Librarian, LACC Digital Initiatives Librarian, and Panama Canal Museum Collection Curator, the LACC Specialist develops workflows and processes for special curatorial projects. The Specialist completes bibliographic activities, stacks management, and other collection service activities to maintain and ensure access to materials.

The Specialist participates in outreach activities, event planning, and provides public services, including reference assistance (on‑site and online), tours, and orientation sessions. The Specialist engages with an international community of users and collaborates closely with faculty and staff in LACC and the Department of Special & Area Studies Collections, supporting research and teaching needs. The LACC Specialist may supervise student employees and serve on various committees and teams.

• Completes acquisitions activities including working with donors, reviewing and selecting gift materials, preparing materials for cataloging, including foreign‑language materials (e.g., Spanish, Portuguese, etc.).
• In consultation with LACC librarians and public services personnel, manages collection storage in the LACC stacks and other locations.
• Consults with the Resource Description Services unit to ensure bibliographic data integrity in the ILS, and edits catalog records to create or correct location and holdings information.
• Completes check‑in and claims processes for serials, manages serial title changes, and resolves problems and missing item reports.
• Liaises with Preservation & Conservation to ensure preservation treatments for materials.
• Maintains and reports statistical data about collections, and participates in the assessment of holdings and services.

• Engages with an international community of users and with the faculty and students at the Center for Latin American Studies.
• Provides reference service via Ask‑A‑Librarian (chat service).
• Assists patrons in the reading room and at the LACC reference desk.
• Participates in outreach activities, event planning, tours, exhibits, bibliographic instruction, and orientation sessions.
• Creates and maintains relevant research tools such as subject guides.

• Participates in planning and implementing special curatorial projects by developing workflows, processes, and procedures. Examples of projects include identifying materials for mass digitization projects (e.g., Google Books, Celebrating Cuba!, etc.), recommending withdrawals, analyzing circulation and usage in subject areas, etc.

• Participates in meetings and trainings to remain appraised of procedures and policies, to gain knowledge and…