Latin Americanists and Librarians: Their Nexus through Technology and Interdisciplinarity

In recent years we have seen a rapid emergence of a wide variety of Latin American studies resources related to “globalization.” This body of new literature often transcends boundaries of traditional social science disciplines. The social science librarian can serve a crucial role not only in seeking out these and other interdisciplinary resources for the academic library collection but also as a pivotal liaison among Latin American social scientists seeking elusive materials that cross boundaries of traditional disciplines. During my years as a reference librarian and as liaison to the Latin American Studies Program at our university, I have discovered the importance of the social science librarian’s cross-disciplinary function as resource guide to Latin Americanists. This paper describes the evolving role of the social science librarian in assisting Latin Americanist both in building an increasingly interdisciplinary collection and as a resource liaison to emerging cross-disciplinary materials, best exemplified by those related to “globalization.”