Antonio Sotomayor, Associate Professor & Librarian of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, was recently elected president of SALALM (Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials). Founded in 1956, SALALM is the premier international organization for Latin American and Caribbean librarians, book vendors, and information specialists.

SALALM facilitates the control and dissemination of bibliographic information about all types of Latin American, Caribbean, Iberian, and U.S. Latino publications. The organization is deeply invested in providing library materials for the Spanish-and Portuguese-speaking populations in the United States as well as promoting cooperative efforts to achieve better library services. Dr. Sotomayor served as Co-Chair of the Special Collections and Archives Committee at SALALM from 2017 to 2020.

Dr. Sotomayor expressed that “being elected president of SALALM is the highest honor, and responsibility, any Latin American and Caribbean studies librarian/information specialist can strive for. The work done by its many talented and accomplished members (librarians, information specialists, book dealers, etc.) is at the core of the study of Latin America and the Caribbean. Established in 1956, SALALM predates the Latin American Studies Association, and as such, it is an association with a long and rich tradition.”

“We are responsible for acquiring, organizing, describing, curating, and making available the vast information used by multiple individuals and institutions throughout the world, who seek to learn about and engage with these regions. I will be the 54th president of SALALM, and looking at the list of past presidents (including two from Illinois: Carl Deal, 1970; and Nelly S. González, 1994), I cannot help but think that I have really big shoes to fill. I look forward to this challenge and the opportunities that come along with it,” Dr. Sotomayor states.