New position: South Asia Librarian

Wed Jul 8 19:36:28 UTC 2009

Dear INDOLOGY colleagues,
I hope your summer is going well. I am writing to give you the good  
news that after much demand from faculty and students at Princeton, we  
have an approved position (4-year full-time term appointment) for a  
South Asia Librarian at Princeton, who will also be teaching one  
undergraduate course per year. You will note from the posting below  
that the position requires a PhD in a relevant field, but does not  
require a library background (though that would certainly be  
preferred). If you know of any up-and-coming scholars, recent  
graduates, etc. who might be interested in and appropriate for this  
position, please pass this posting along to them and encourage them to  
apply. PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD.

Many thanks and regards,
David

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David Magier, PhD
Associate University Librarian for Collection Development
Princeton University
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544

609-258-5710
609-258-6950 fax
dmagier at princeton.edu

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South Asia Librarian (4-year term appointment)
Princeton University Library
  Princeton, NJ
Requisition # 0900225

http://library.princeton.edu/hr/positions/JobSouthAsiaLibrarian2009.html

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/