My name is Chella Vaidyanathan. I am the European/World History, Philosophy, and Classics Librarian at Emory Libraries. Diversity and inclusion have been core values intrinsic to both my personal and professional growth. They are central to my role as a historian, librarian, and educator.
Before joining Emory University, I was the Curator of 19th-21st Century Rare Books and Manuscripts in the Department of Special Collections and Archives at the Sheridan Libraries of Johns Hopkins University. I was also the Academic Liaison Librarian for the Departments of History and Anthropology, the Center for Africana Studies, the Program in Latin American Studies, and the Program in Islamic Studies. As a blended librarian, I enjoyed my role as the Curator of post-1800 historical collections and the Liaison Librarian. It gave me an excellent opportunity to promote rare materials from special collections and e-resources. I love working with rare books and teaching sessions using materials from special collections. I am also interested in artist books and the History of the Book in South Asia.
Educational Background: I completed my MLS from the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) in December 2006. From August 2005-December 2006, I worked as the GIS Graduate Assistant in the Department of U.S. Gov. Information, Maps, & GIS Services at McKeldin Library at UMCP. My academic background is in Modern European and Modern South Asian History. I completed all my graduate course work in the Ph.D. program in History at Northern Arizona University (NAU). While working as the Reilly Summer Intern in the Department of Special Collections and Archives at Cline Library at NAU, I decided to pursue academic librarianship as my career and applied for the MLS program.
I have a Master of Arts in Modern European History from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville (SIUE). I worked as a graduate assistant for the Department of Historical Studies and the Library Instruction Services at Lovejoy Library at SIUE. I have always enjoyed working in public services. It has been a rewarding experience for me. Before coming to the United States in 2000, I completed my Master of Philosophy in Indian History, Master of Arts in History from Meenakshi College in Chennai in India (Major Field: Indian/South Asian History). I also completed graduate-level coursework in American History and East & Southeast Asian History.
Chella Vaidyanathan 