August 11, 2003
Contact: Kate Nevins, 1-800-999-8558, Ext.4906
or knevins@solinet.net
SOLINET AND HBCU LIBRARY ALLIANCE COLLABORATE WITH GRANT
FROM THE ANDREW W. MELLON FOUNDATION
SOLINET and the HBCU Library
Alliance received a $160,000 grant from The Andrew
W. Mellon Foundation for a collaborative project to assess needs
and develop a program to increase the effectiveness and visibility
of libraries at the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and
Universities. The 12-month project will promote the role of the
librarian on each campus and advocate for total integration of libraries
into campus programs for teaching and learning.
With the support of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and SOLINET,
the HBCU Library Alliance will identify what it means for a library
at an HBCU to be integrated into teaching and learning processes
and determine what HBCU libraries need to be able to do this effectively;
gather input from the HBCU community and the academic library community
about the role of the library in teaching and learning; and develop
an educational program that will improve the skills, knowledge,
and ability of HBCU librarians to enable them integrate their libraries
more effectively into their institutions’ teaching and learning
missions.
HBCU libraries serve as unique and indispensable gatekeepers for
history, culture, and the African-American experience. Created by
the deans and directors of these libraries after an historic meeting
in October 2002, the Alliance seeks to ensure excellence in HBCU
libraries through the development, coordination, and promotion of
programs and activities to enhance members’ collections and
services. Current Steering Committee
members are Loretta O’Brien-Parham, Director of the Harvey
Library at Hampton University, VA; Janice Franklin, Director of
the Library and Learning Resource Center at Alabama State University;
Tommy Holton, Dean of Libraries at Dillard University, LA; Emma
Bradford Perry, Dean of Libraries at Southern University and A&M
College, LA; and Elsie Stephens Weatherington, Dean of Library and
Technology Services at Virginia State University.
Founded in 1973, SOLINET is a non-profit membership organization
serving more than 2300 libraries of all types and sizes in ten Southeastern
states and the Caribbean. SOLINET offers Member Services, OCLC Services,
Preservation & Access Services, Electronic Databases, Library
Products, Workshops, and Consulting.
|
HBCU Library Alliance