Collages by Helen Adam

Join the Poetry Collection for an open house to celebrate the closing of the exhibition The Language of Magic: Queer Occult Poetics.

Featuring archival materials by Helen Adam, Robert Duncan, Harvey Milk, and others, the exhibit focuses on the San Francisco Renaissance, a radical poetry and arts community that flourished in the 1950s and 1960s, exploring how poets engaged with occult influences to create queer identity.

A guided tour of the exhibit by Associate Curator Alison Fraser will be offered before the open house begins.

Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

6:00pm Guided tour of the exhibit

6:30pm Open house and reception begins

The Poetry Collection of the University Libraries

University at Buffalo, 420 Capen Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260

RSVP to Clay Connor at claytonc@buffalo.edu.

Learn more about the exhibit at: library.buffalo.edu/pl/language-of-magic

The timing and duration of the Visiting Scholar’s residence in Buffalo is flexible, though anticipated to be a minimum of two weeks. Visiting Scholars will be required to give a public presentation on their research at the end of their stay. This presentation could include a virtual presentation or a summary that could be posted online. The scholar is encouraged to schedule their visit between July 1 of the award year and June 30 of the following year. Both graduate students at an advanced stage of dissertation research and more senior scholars are invited to apply.

With the support of endowed funds, and in close coordination with the Curator of the Poetry Collection, the James Joyce Curator will play a significant role in guiding the future success of both the James Joyce Collection and the James Joyce Museum. The primary duties of this new faculty position include:

Public services and programming:

• Directing the daily activities of the UB James Joyce Museum.
• Providing public presentations and tours for individuals and groups.
• Planning compelling exhibitions in alignment with the Joyce Museum’s strategic goals.
• Organizing events and programming (both online and in-person) for different audiences; examples may include lectures, readings, open houses, Bloomsday celebrations, and community reading groups.
• Helping to develop a docent program and school visits for K-12 students to the museum.
• Training and supervising student assistants as needed.

Research and instruction services:

• Supporting visiting scholars and students in their research both in person and virtually.
• Providing course-integrated instruction with primary sources—including both introductory and advanced special-topic presentations related to Joyce—for visiting undergraduate and graduate classes.
• Answering reference questions and handling reproduction requests.

Collection development:

• Working within established budgets to select new Joyce-related editions, scholarly publications, and other materials for the UB James Joyce Collection in order to maintain its bibliographic comprehensiveness.
• Working collaboratively with the Poetry Collection’s processing archivists and catalogers on metadata and description.
• Developing digital collections with the Libraries’ digital strategies group.

Outreach and engagement:

• Providing substantial community outreach and developing regional, national, and international partnerships and collaborations to increase the visibility of the UB James Joyce Collection.
• Fostering relationships and collaborations with other university departments.
• Planning publicity and communication strategies for the UB James Joyce Museum including its website and other publications with the University Libraries communications team.

Advancement:

• Participating with University Advancement in development activities including fundraising, events, donor relations and stewardship, receiving gifts in kind, and grant writing.

Service:

• Working with other colleagues in the Poetry Collection and Special Collections to contribute to setting directions, implementing goals, and providing the services of the unit, including maintaining order in the storage areas.
• Participating actively in teams, working groups, and committees in the Libraries, at the university, and in the profession.

Minimum Qualifications:

• PhD in a related field. Degree must be conferred before the candidate’s starting date.
• Demonstrated expertise in the life and work of James Joyce.
• Familiarity with the evolution of Joyce Studies including today’s emerging trends.
• Understanding of the nature of archival research and the needs of literary researchers.
• Evidence of professional scholarly engagement (e.g., teaching, publications, presentations) and the ability to meet the University at Buffalo’s promotion and tenure standards in librarianship, service, and scholarship.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, problem-solving, oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize projects, work on several projects simultaneously, work independently, and collaborate with library colleagues.
• Ability to work positively and effectively with students, faculty, staff, administrators, and patrons of different ages, from diverse backgrounds, and holding a wide range of knowledge in a complex academic environment.
• Demonstrated awareness of the challenges and opportunities for justice, diversity, inclusion, equity and access in staffing, services, collections, and physical spaces within the Libraries, the university, and in higher education.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Coursework and/or training in library science, archives management, preservation, history of the book, book arts, or other related field.
• Experience (broadly defined) working in a literary special collection.
• Public humanities experience (for example, organizing and running events and programming, creating exhibits, establishing and maintaining positive relationships with different communities through outreach).
• Experience with fundraising and donor relations.

Salary: $65,000 – $80,000

Outstanding Benefits Package: Working at UB comes with benefits that exceed salary alone. There are personal rewards including comprehensive health and retirement plan options. We also focus on creating and sustaining a healthy mix of work, personal and academic pursuit – all in an effort to support your work-life effectiveness. Visit our benefits website to learn about our benefit packages.

To Apply: To be considered for this position, applicants must apply via UB Jobs: https://www.ubjobs.buffalo.edu/postings/56217

In your cover letter, please highlight the most relevant qualifications you would bring to this position based on the posting, and tell us how your background, perspective, and experience will help us fulfill our mission and meet our goals. All candidates who are contacted by the search committee should be prepared to discuss how they see themselves contributing to the University’s equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts.

Candidates invited for final interviews will be expected to give a presentation to faculty and staff of the University Libraries. We are currently reviewing applications and anticipate filling this position by August 2025.

About the University at Buffalo: The University at Buffalo (UB) is one of America’s leading public research universities and a flagship of the State University of New York system. Visit our website to learn more about the University at Buffalo.

About the University Libraries: SUNY’s largest academic research library offers an outstanding array of information resources, technologies, services, and people to support academic achievement.

University at Buffalo is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and, in keeping with our commitment, welcomes all to apply including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

She initially pursued a career in journalism, earning her undergraduate degree in communications from Buffalo State College. However, breaking into the field proved challenging, leading her to explore other interests. Photography quickly became a creative outlet for Lynn, guiding her toward UB’s Media Studies and Arts Management programs. A pivotal moment came when she learned about an archive of particular interest in UB’s Poetry Collection. “I heard about the Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center archive in the Poetry Collection, and that was the lightbulb moment for me,” she said. “I entered UB’s MLIS program with a focus on special collections and knew that was the final piece to my educational puzzle.”

Lynn started her UB career as an office assistant in the Department of Economics, followed by nine years as Finance & Operations Manager at UB Art Galleries. While neither role directly involved library work, both provided valuable experiences that shaped her approach to organization and system efficiency. When the opportunity arose to return to special collections, she embraced it, and for the past two and a half years, she has been immersed in the work she loves.

In her current role, Lynn manages the Special Collections Reading Room, ensuring smooth visits for researchers and helping facilitate access to unique materials across the Poetry Collection, Rare & Special Books, and University Archives. She also plays a key role in preserving and promoting UB’s collections, providing instruction to researchers on handling materials with care and encouraging visitors to explore treasures on view in the Reading Room. “I most enjoy seeing what piques our patrons’ interests and learning more about our collections through their eyes. We have an incredible array of resources across our collections – more than anyone could hope to discover and research on their own,” she explains.

Recently, Lynn has been working on descriptive processing for the University Archives’ collection of Student Life Posters, a project she finds both fascinating and visually striking. She hopes to curate an exhibit showcasing these posters, offering a look into years of student engagement and activism at UB. “The University Archives’ collection of Student Life Posters spans from the early 1960s to about 2015, covering social events, student clubs, sports, guest speakers, performance and art, student government, and political action. It has been a fascinating glimpse into student life over the decades, and some of the posters are aesthetically incredibly beautiful,” she said.

Outside of work, Lynn enjoys photography and a range of artistic pursuits, including screen-printing and fabric dyeing. She also has an undeniable connection to water, often seeking out lakes, rivers, and waterfalls for inspiration. She loves taking long drives along Lake Erie, visiting Niagara Falls, and exploring the Finger Lakes—always with a camera in hand.

Lynn grew up in the Buffalo area as one of seven siblings in a large, close-knit family. She also cherishes spending time with her six great-nieces, who range in age from 3 to 13. Their creativity and humor serve as a wonderful reminder of the importance of play and imagination. Additionally, she comes from an impressively large extended family, with 48 first cousins—a fact that was a point of pride growing up.

Whether at work or in her personal life, Lynn brings a keen eye for detail, a love of community and the arts, and a dedication to preserving and sharing stories with others.

Below, you’ll find examples of Lynn’s stunning photography. Click on any image to enlarge.

The University Libraries invites UB undergraduate and graduate students to participate in our annual poetry competitions. Entries are due by Friday, March 14 at 11:59pm in the following categories:

• The Dan Liberthson Poetry Prize
  $100 prize for the best poem or group of poems submitted by a UB graduate student.
• The Friends of the University Libraries Undergraduate Poetry Prize
  $200 prize for the best poem or group of poems submitted by a UB undergraduate student.
• The Academy of American Poets Prize
  $200 prize for the best poem or group of poems submitted by a UB undergraduate or graduate student.

April 2025 update:

We are pleased to announce the winners of this year’s awards:

The Dan Liberthson Poetry Prize:
     “Hold, Puuku” by Joseph Baiz

The Friends of the University Libraries Undergraduate Poetry Prize:
     “[My disfigurement calling and calling and finding only white sky, black rock, enormous silence like an unfurling in the  throat.]” by Jonah Ruddock

Honorable mention: “you know what you are” by Juno Hunter

The Academy of American Poets Prize:
     “Self-Portrait in a Cell Phone Camera after John Ashbery’s Self Portrait in a Convex Mirror” by Julianne Neely

Congratulations everyone!

___________________________________________________________________________________

2025 submission guidelines:

• Each entry must be submitted as Word document (.doc, .docx). Do not send as a PDF.
• You must provide a cover sheet with the following information:
  • first and last name; you may use your preferred name
  • mailing address
  • UB email
  • phone number
  • the name(s) of the prize(s) you are entering
• You may enter one or more poems not to exceed 5 pages.
• You may enter up to two prizes. If you enter different poems for each prize, send a separate Word document with a cover sheet and poem(s) for each prize.
• Your name must not appear on your poem(s); include your name on the cover sheet only.
• Email your cover sheet and poem(s) as a single attachment to Lynn Lasota, lmlasota@buffalo.edu
• You will receive an email within two business days confirming receipt. If you do not receive confirmation, it means we did not receive your submission. You must follow up with us before the deadline for your entry to be considered.

For additional information, please contact: The Poetry Collection of the University Libraries at lpo-poetry@buffalo.edu.

By submitting to these prizes you agree to have your submission added to the Annual Student Poetry Contest records in the University Archives, to allow the University Archives to make preservation and access copies, and to the possibility that they may be displayed online in the future for educational purposes.

Dr. Maitra is Assistant Professor of British Literature at Louisiana Tech University, USA. He was formerly a Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow at Georgia Institute of Technology. He obtained his PhD in English from The State University of New York at Buffalo. His dissertation explores the role of press-cutting agencies in advancing the careers and interests of James Joyce, Gertrude Stein, and larger colonial institutions. His articles on James Joyce, genetic criticism, and modernist print culture have appeared in Modernism/modernity Print Plus, Variants, James Joyce Quarterly, Genetic Joyce Studies, Joyce Studies in Italy and other peer-reviewed journals and edited collections.

We invite you to enjoy his talk, “Joyce’s Press Clippings and Promotional Material at Buffalo.”

About the Bishop Fund:

Established by Dr. Joseph Valente, UB Distinguished Professor, Department of English, the Dr. John Bishop Memorial Visiting Scholar Fund award provides a travel stipend for visiting scholars and graduate students whose research is centered on the writings of James Joyce, Modernism, Joyce-related research, Sylvia Beach, Modernist publishers, Modernist genetic criticism, Joyce’s literary circle, his literary colleagues, or his influences.

Please consider making a gift today to the Dr. John Bishop Memorial Visiting Scholar Fund.