JTS at the Association of Jewish Libraries Conference
July 1, 2025
JTS students and staff made a significant impact at this year’s Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) online conference. Five graduates in the Certificate in Judaica and Hebraica Librarianship program—a collaboration between JTS and the Association of Jewish Libraries—shared their internship experiences and reflected on their time in this innovative and impactful initiative. This is the program’s first cohort of graduates.
Eighty students are currently enrolled in this online, 12-month program. Co-directors include Naomi Steinberger, former Director of Library Services, JTS Professor Marjorie Lehman, as academic advisor, Michelle Margolis (Columbia University) and Aaron Taub (Library of Congress). Students from around the world have benefited from this unique and groundbreaking initiative that was created in response to a pressing need for specialized expertise in Judaica and Hebraica collections
During the session, graduates offered detailed insights into their training and professional growth. Anthony Catanese, a doctoral student in the Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University, completed his internship under the mentorship of former archivist Mary LaMotte Silverstein at JTS. His internship was designed to provide intensive, practical experience in library and archival work, with a particular emphasis on Judaica collections and work at Jewish institutions. This experience allowed Anthony to cultivate both technical skills and professional insight into the responsibilities of archivists working with Jewish historical materials. “I look forward to continuing my active involvement in AJL, contributing to the professional community, and advancing the work of Judaic librarianship,” said Anthony. “It remains a privilege to work with Judaica collections and to play a part in preserving and promoting Judaica for future generations.”
Another presenter, Eleonora Bischetti, a graduate of the University of Rome, completed her internship at the historic Vallicelliana Library, founded in 1565. Specializing in the conservation and restoration of rare books and manuscripts, Eleonora structured her internship in two phases. The first involved surveying the library’s Hebrew-script volumes to gather bibliographic and provenance data. The second focused on cataloging previously unentered items for inclusion in Italy’s SBN (Servizio Bibliotecario Nazionale) catalog. In total, she consulted and analyzed approximately 80 volumes.
The session highlighted not only the diverse experiences of the program’s graduates but also their impressive accomplishments and contributions to the field of Judaica librarianship.
Additionally, Naomi Steinberger delivered a paper on the evolution of user services over the last 40 years. Her talk covered various milestones such as the “new” building built in 1983, the shift to an online catalog and the internet, the introduction of digitization, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the building of another “new” library. Her presentation offered valuable context for understanding how JTS, and libraries in general, adapt in response to cultural and technological changes.
