Dear Colleagues:

On behalf of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), we extend an invitation for you to participate in the 6 th National Conference of African American Librarians (NCAAL), scheduled for Fort Worth, Texas, August 2-5, 2007. The National Conference of African American Librarians is one avenue used by the Caucus to serve the information needs—past, present and future—of the African American library and information service community.

Since 1992, each BCALA conference has revolved around the theme of Culture Keepers. Maintaining this tradition, the theme selected for the 6 th National Conference is Culture Keepers VI: Preserving the Past, Sustaining the Future . This theme recognizes the critical juncture of African American culture, African American librarianship, and the emergent need to preserve these histories. Under this focus, the conference will provide a wonderful opportunity to expand our vision of culture keepers in our libraries, our profession and our communities. We will engage in relevant library and information science issues, and through a wide array of programming, experience ways we can work together to broaden our role in the preservation and sustainability of African American culture and librarianship.

In Fort Worth, you’ll enjoy exploring the city’s rich history, which includes the largely overlooked, and often misrepresented, history of Blacks in the American West. The National Cowboys of Color Museum and Hall of Fame is one agency that is attempting to rectify this omission by telling the story of these forgotten cowboys and trailblazers through living history, documents, artifacts, and an annual rodeo. Their efforts, in accord with our conference theme, are helping to keep alive a forgotten past.

What role will you play to preserve our history and sustain our future ? Learn ideas, build strategies, and connect with information professionals who are determined to expand your knowledge base and network at the 6 th National Conference of African American Librarians.

For more information about participating in the 6 th National Conference, including the Call for Proposals, registration and housing, and sponsorship opportunities, visit http://www.bcala.org. Be sure to share this information.

See you in Fort Worth!

Richard Bradberry and Carolyn F. Norman

Co-Chairs, 6 th National Conference of African American Librarians