Curating as Career: Libraries and Archives as Professional Paths in Jewish Studies

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Session Sponsor: Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL)

Abstract

In an age of rampant misinformation and disinformation, library and archive professionals serve to preserve information and resources, organize them, and make them accessible. To this end, they work with materials ranging from ancient and medieval manuscripts to social media archives, and everything in between. Librarians and archivists preserve books and other cultural artifacts: collecting, curating, making them available to scholars and to the public at large. In order to provide accurate, factual information related to Jewish studies–history, culture, literature, languages–it is critical that our leading research institutions employ librarians and archivists with expertise these areas. This roundtable is designed to introduce graduate students and others seeking new career options in Jewish Studies to consider librarianship as a career path and as a calling.

Note: we have organized similar panels since 2021. In this case, repeating similar–though not identical content–is highly appropriate. Every year the conference sees a fresh, new group of graduate students, a principal audience for the panel. To continue to present career options to this rotating audience is a service to the field in many ways. This year’s virtual conference, more accessible to graduate students and independent scholars, makes the presence of this panel this year all the more important.

Sub Unit

• AJS

Moderator

• Rachel Greenblatt, Dartmouth College

Discussants

• Nadav Sharon, The University of Toronto

• Lyudmila Sholokhova, The New York Public Library

• Rebecca Jefferson, University of Florida

• Surella Seelig, Brandeis University

Zoom Host

• Zoom Host 01