On 23 January 2025, Duke University Libraries (DUL) welcomed Roger Peña as the Librarian for Latin American, Iberian, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies. In this capacity, he will be working with faculty and students affiliated with Duke’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS), the Romance Studies Department, the Program in Latino Studies in the Global South (LSGS), student groups, as well the various departments across campus that offer courses on this vibrant region of the world. Roger will also collaborate with the Title VI-funded UNC-Duke Consortium in Latin American and Caribbean Studies.
Roger earned a BA in political science at Syracuse University, and a master’s degree in education at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Spanish-speaking Boston native and son of Salvadoran immigrants moved to the Triangle to teach history and social studies at the K-12 level for several years, prior to completing an MLIS degree at UNC Greensboro. He brings experience working with Spanish speaking families and students from Latin America and the Caribbean.
Before accepting the position as Duke’s Latin American Studies librarian, Roger worked for two years as a Research Services Librarian in the David M. Rubenstein Rare Books & Special Collections Library, supporting collections like the History of Medicine, University Archives, and General Collections. Roger’s work included exhibit curation, assistance with reference services, and conducting numerous instructional sessions using the library’s unique holdings of materials (including in Spanish, such as those listed on the library guide that he created). Roger also served as the Josiah C. Trent History of Medicine Intern at the Rubenstein Library while completing his degree at UNC Greensboro.
Roger’s office (Bostock 227) is located in the International & Area Studies Department suite on the second floor of Bostock Library. He can be reached by email at joseroger.pena@duke.edu.
We are excited to have Roger as a new colleague—please say hello next time you are over in Bostock!