Ms. Konstanze H. Kunst, the Joseph and Ceil Mazer Librarian for Jewish Studies, is responsible for the development of Yale’s Jewish studies collection. Ms. Kunst supports teaching and research of Yale students and faculty as well as affiliated researchers in the field of Jewish studies. She serves as library liaison to the Jewish Studies Program, to select members of the Department of Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations, and to the Council on Middle East Studies. Ms. Kunst provides reference and research consultations in Jewish studies on all levels, maintains online research guides, fosters information literacy and the understanding of the history of Jewish material texts through teaching, and promotes the Jewish studies collection through activities such as exhibitions and instruction.
Ms. Kunst earned an MA in Jewish Studies and History (double major) from the Freie Universität Berlin in Germany, and an MA in Jewish History (ABD) from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Her research interests include the history of Jewish material texts, with a focus on early modern Hebrew and Yiddish text production; the history of information transmission; the history of Judaica collections; and the history of early Holocaust research and testimony.
Ms. Kunst’s office is attached to the Jewish Studies Reading and Reference Room in Sterling Memorial Library 335B.