GPO Teammates Begin FDLP Outreach to HBCUs at National Conference

Fisk University – The John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library in Nashville, Tennessee joined the FDLP in 1965.

There is no doubt that began on September libraries across the country 21st, which is the start of are an important part of our National HBCU Week, and institutions and community. was titled, “The Perfect The valuable resources and Decade to Accelerate HBCU services they offer create Competitiveness,” bringing opportunities for learning, public and private partners education, and more. In together with HBCU thought March 2020, just before leaders to best strategize on the start of the pandemic, how to grow these institutions Library Services and Content over the next ten years. The Management (LSCM) began Higher Education Act of a pilot project to identify 1965, as amended, defines an resources and services that HBCU as: “…any historically the Federal Depository Library black college or university Program (FDLP) could provide that was established prior to Federal depository libraries to 1964, whose principal at Historically Black Colleges mission was, and is, the and Universities (HBCUs). education of black Americans, To help with this effort, GPO and that is accredited by attended its first National a nationally recognized HBCU Week Conference, accrediting agency or which was held virtually association.” HBCUs offer all with approximately 1,500 students, regardless of race, participants, in September an opportunity to develop of last year. The annual their skills and talents. The conference, which is planned conference is a convening under the leadership of the of HBCU presidents, senior White House Initiative on administrators, students, HBCUs, was free and open to financial aid executives, the public. higher education advocates,

The five-day gathering corporations, foundations, GPO attended its first National HBCU Week Conference in 2020.The conference was held virtually with approximately 1,500 participants.

1 government agencies, like thought would come out GPO, and a cross section of of this more directly for professionals from across HBCUs is if we could do disciplines. LibGuides (or library guides) When the opportunity for them,” says Welch. “The came to work on this pilot guides would help students project with HBCUs, Technical access resources that are in Services Librarian Celeste the collection or for public Welch, who has been at GPO libraries in the surrounding for a little over two years, areas to be able to access or jumped at the opportunity and know what is in the HBCU began researching ways on collection, because they have how we could provide better a wealth of material.” access to these institutions. To date, there are 30 Prior to GPO, Welch worked HBCU libraries that are part at the Library of Congress of the Federal Depository as a library technician for Library Program. GPO works ten years. It was through her closely with 14 of them and research on this project that is currently reaching out to she discovered there was others. Outreach Librarian an HBCU Library Alliance Jaime Hays, who has been at and National HBCU Week GPO for 7 years, has visited Conference. “When I attended several of these libraries. “I the virtual conference, see the outreach as being it was my first effort at really positive, especially reaching out to the HBCU for the HBCUs. They are community,” says Welch. so underfunded and wear “GPO had a virtual exhibition so many hats at these space that was set up at the institutions that they may conference. With the space, not always have the time to we had a raffle where we contact us to get help. So - The Ford Motor Company Library in gave away FDLP masks and a being able to go there and Tuskegee, Alabama joined the FDLP in 1907. pocket constitution to those have someone there to do expressing an interest in the training and answer their FDLP. We had about 79 hits questions is really helpful,” on the site right after the says Hays. “The school that conference and three people I have the most contact with who won the raffle prize,” is North Carolina Central she says. “It has been real University (NCCU), because challenging to do outreach that’s where I went to school with the pandemic going to get my Master’s degree. on, but I think what my next They have two depository steps will be is to get more libraries there. I already knew in contact with the Library some of the people on the Alliance.” The HBCU Library staff from going to school Alliance is a consortium that there, and I keep in contact supports the collaboration with them fairly regularly,” of information professionals says Hays, who also attended dedicated to providing an the National HBCU Week array of resources designed to Conference. strengthen HBCUs and their The way libraries are constituents. brought into the Federal Morgan State University – The Earl S. Richardson Library joined the “Some of the things I Depository Program depends FDLP in 1940.

2 on several factors. For the and I visited different Tribal school itself, it depends on institutions that are not a part if there is an opening for a of our program to see if they program. Schools can be are interested in joining the nominated two per senator FDLP. We just started this or two per representative. If effort to focus on HBCUs, it’s a law school, like NCCU and it started right when School of Law, they can the pandemic began. We come in through the by-law are trying to figure out how designation. If they are a land- we can better assist these grant institution, they can libraries and bring more of come in that way. “Within the them into the program.” LSCM and FDL Support Staff, HBCUs have been a part if we are looking at a state to of the FDLP for a long time. work with and see there is an GPO has three libraries that opening and one of the HBCUs were designated in 1907: can fill that position, we try to Ford Motor Company Library set up a meeting to get them at Tuskegee University in to join the program like we do Tuskegee, AL; Drain-Jordan with our Tribal Colleges and Library at West Virginia Depository Coordinator Jan Whitfield and GPO Outreach Librarian Jaime Universities,” says Hays. “I’ve State University in Institute, Hays at Fayetteville State University (August 2016). The Charles W. been on trips to Montana, WV; and Johnston Memorial Chesnutt Library in Fayetteville, North Carolina joined the FDLP in 1971.

Former GPO Director Davita Vance-Cooks attended Tennessee State University’s Brown-Daniel Library 45th FDLP Anniversary and served as the keynote speaker. The program was attended by library staff, former Government Document Librarians, political representatives, and the University President Dr. Glenda Glover and hosted by Dr. Murle Kenerson, Interim Dean of Libraries and Media Centers, and Ms. Angel Sloss, Government Documents Librarian. Alabama A&M University - The Joseph F. Drake Memorial Learning Brown-Daniel Library in Nashville, Tennessee joined the FDLP in 1972. Resources Center in Huntsville, Alabama joined the FDLP in 1963.

3 Pictured from left to right: Director of Library Services/Professor Dr. Willie Hardin, Library Assistant Jacqueline Eldridge, and GPO Outreach Librarian Kathy Bayer at Arkansas Baptist College (April 2017). The J.C. Oliver Library in Little Rock, Arkansas was designated as a Federal depository library in 2016. This is GPO’s most recent HBCU to join the FDLP.

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff - The John Brown Watson Memorial Library in Pine Bluff, Arkansas joined the FDLP in 1976.

Library at Virginia State Industrial Institute (now University in Petersburg, VA. Tuskegee University) was These are the HBCU libraries aware at the very beginning that have been in the FDLP of the importance of the the longest. There are three library in one’s educational HBCU academic law libraries: development. In 1900, the Thurgood Marshall School library began sending to rural of Law at Texas Southern areas boxes of books to be Delaware State University – The William C. Jason Library in Dover, University in Houston, TX; furthered used by students Delaware joined the FDLP in 1962. North Carolina Central and teachers. In 1907, the University, School of Law library was designated a access to information. touch, and keep us up-to-date Library in Durham, NC; and depository for government Because of lack of funding, with the other libraries in the Howard University School of publications, being the first he took advantage of the Federal Depository Library Law in Washington, D.C. The black library to attain this opportunity of other resources Program. We learn from each newest HBCU library is J.C. status. “Since the Federal available to the University other too,” she adds. Oliver Library at Arkansas Government was providing that would help to support “Overall, I’ve been to 250 Baptist College in Little Rock, the information for free, the programs that were being libraries, and each one is so AR, which joined on April I think Mr. Washington offered,” she adds. different and so unique. They 12, 2016. All are selective took advantage of this GPO issues materials all have so many amazing depositories, which means opportunity,” says former in so many areas. With this stories about how they have they can choose what they Government Documents partnership, libraries are helped people,” says Hays. want to receive from GPO. Librarian E. Gail Samuel, now able to select and invest Both Hays and Welch look As one of the oldest Head of Reference Services, in resources that help the forward to attending the libraries in the program, who has worked at Tuskegee’s community at large. “The Annual National HBCU Week the library at Tuskegee library for 30 years. “Not only materials are very current,” Conference in person in the University, has been a part did it expand the libraries says Government Documents future and to recruiting more of its institution since it resources, it also provided Librarian Asteria Ndulute, libraries to let them know was founded in 1881. Dr. access to information for who has been with Tuskegee about the resources we have Booker T. Washington, people in the community. for nine years. “The training at GPO. founder, and first president He was well aware, I believe, webinars and conferences of Tuskegee Normal and of the importance of having really help us, keep us in

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