The University Libraries are pleased to announce the appointment of Amanda T. Moreno as Esperanza Bravo de Varona Chair and director of the Cuban Heritage Collection, effective June 1, 2023. Librarian Associate Professor Moreno has served as chair in an interim capacity since April 2022. The Esperanza Bravo de Varona Chair is an internationally recognized leadership role within Latin American librarianship and Cuban studies scholarship.
As Bravo de Varona chair of the Cuban Heritage Collection, Amanda supervises the department’s faculty, staff, and operations. She directs collection development, manages donor engagement, and oversees the budget and outreach programming. In addition to these core responsibilities, she collaborates with Dr. Michael J. Bustamante, Emilio Bacardí Moreau Chair in Cuban and Cuban-American Studies and director of the Cuban Studies program within the College of Arts and Sciences, to envision new approaches to support Cuban studies and scholarship, both at the University and globally. She also serves as liaison to the Amigos of the Cuban Heritage Collection—a group of volunteers who support the Collection’s mission—and other funders and stakeholders.
In addition to Amanda’s leadership of the Collection, she is actively engaged in service to her profession, the University of Miami, and its Libraries. She presents at conferences locally, nationally, and internationally on a variety of topics that are integral to the materials and archives of the Collection, and to the challenges and opportunities ahead for archivists. Throughout her career, her leadership and service have been recognized by fellowships and scholarships awarded by professional organizations.
Amanda’s journey to this leadership role began with exposure to the Cuban Heritage Collection as a University of Miami undergraduate student employee and later as archives assistant. In 2017, she joined the Collection as archivist and librarian assistant professor. As the Collection’s archivist, she led the development and processing of archival collections; supervised students and staff; contributed to instruction, reference, donor engagement, exhibition development and events; and managed digital archiving initiatives.
Having completed concurrent graduate work at New York University and Long Island University, Amanda earned master’s degrees in Latin American and Caribbean studies and library and information science, respectively. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami, with concentrations in political science, psychology, and Spanish.
Amanda T. Moreno can be reached at a.moreno8@umiami.edu.
