South Asia Librarian (4-year term appointment)

Princeton, NJ
Requisition # 0900225

The Princeton University Library comprises a large central library and a dozen specialized libraries that are heavily used by an academic community of 6,400 students, 1,100 faculty members, and many visiting scholars. To support the diverse needs of its users, the Library holds some six million printed volumes, ranging from incunabula to current imprints, and provides access to many other records of human knowledge, such as ancient papyri and cylinder seals, modern literary manuscripts, and recently produced electronic databases and journals. The Library employs more than 300 professional and support personnel, complemented by a large student and hourly workforce. Please consult the Library Web site at http://library.princeton.edu/ for more information.

Available: Immediately

Responsibilities:
The Princeton University Library seeks an energetic and creative scholar for a 4-year term appointment as South Asia Librarian, to build library collections and help shape library services in the interdisciplinary field of South Asian Studies at Princeton. The South Asia Librarian will be responsible for identifying and acquiring library materials, in all formats, and from all parts of the world, in Western languages and select languages of this region, for the libraries' collections on the anthropology, art, architecture, demography and culture, economics, ethnography, folklore, government documents, history, international relations, language and literature, music, philosophy, politics, religion, sociology, and urban planning of South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal, with primary focus on India). The librarian will also function as the key South Asia resource person in the Library system, with the necessary expertise to provide assistance to students and faculty in teaching, learning and researching any aspect of South Asian Studies. In addition, this specialist will work closely with the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies, and the Program in South Asian Studies, to teach one course per year on South Asia in an appropriate discipline. The specialist will also hold an appointment as a lecturer during the semesters they teach. The appointment and course offering are subject to the approval of the appropriate academic department and Dean of the Faculty.

This is one of several subject specialist positions in the Library devoted to developing and interpreting Princeton’s collections. Responsibilities include: collection building; managing sizable acquisitions funds; providing advice on priorities for preservation, digitization, and other aspects of collection maintenance, including offsite storage; giving direct specialized research assistance to faculty and students; creating resource guides and Web sites to assist researchers; serving as the Library's key liaison to the Program in South Asian Studies; and consulting with members of the Technical Services Department to facilitate acquisitions and cataloging of materials from and about South Asia (including some in South Asian languages). This librarian represents Princeton in the relevant regional, national, and international professional and scholarly organizations.

Qualifications:
Required: a PhD in an appropriate discipline in South Asian Studies; broad familiarity with interdisciplinary teaching and research on South Asia; proficiency in Hindi or Urdu and at least basic ability to read the Devanagari script; familiarity with core print and online library resources for South Asian Studies; familiarity with current publishing from and about South Asia.

Preferred: An ALA-accredited Master’s degree in library science; professional experience in a research library, preferably including collection development and/or cataloging of South Asian materials; mastery of major bibliographic tools, including electronic resources, available for the use of researchers especially in the humanities; knowledge of the US, European and South Asian book trade and the changing technological environment in research libraries; successful teaching experience, either in the classroom or in library instruction; knowledge of the strengths of other research collections on South Asia.

Term and Appointment:
This is a four year term position. The successful candidate will be appointed to a professional specialist rank depending upon qualifications and experience. Initial term is for one year with the possibility of renewal. Extensions beyond four years are possible.

Compensation and Benefits:
Compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience. Twenty-four (24) vacation days a year, plus eleven (11) paid holidays. Annuity program (TIAA/CREF or Vanguard), group life insurance, health coverage insurance, disability insurance, and other benefits are available.

Nominations and Applications:
Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Nominations and applications (cover letter, resume and the names, titles, addresses and phone numbers of three references) will be accepted only from the Jobs at Princeton website: http://www.princeton.edu/jobs

Princeton University is an equal opportunity employer and complies with applicable EEO and affirmative action regulations. For information about applying to Princeton and voluntarily self-identifying, please link to http://www.princeton.edu/dof/about_us/dof_job_openings