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BCALA Position Paper on CAU SLIS
Read the BCALA Position Paper on the School of
Library and Information Studies at Clark Atlanta University: Based
on the September 25, 2003 Report of the BCALA Ad Hoc Task Force
on CAU SLIS.
Click
here >>
New African American Library
On Thursday, October 30th, ground
was broken at Jefferson Avenue and East Utica Street for the $4.2
million library, whose design resembles an African village. The
20,000-square-foot facility will replace the deteriorating, 7,200-square-foot
library a stone's throw away at 332 E. Utica St. for the Frank E.
Merriweather Jr. Library, in memory of the former publisher of the
Buffalo Criterion and founding member of the Buffalo Urban League.
Nominations Being Sought for Distinguished Service Award
Nominate a colleague for the 2004
BCALA Distinguished Service Award. Deadline is December 31,
2003.
Mellon Foundation Funds Collaborative Librarian Recruitment
Program
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded $500,000 to
six academic libraries to collaborate on a major project
to address librarian recruiting and diversity issues at
the undergraduate level.
Media contact:
Betty Gabrielli
440-775-8624
ALA President welcomes call, commitment from U.S. Attorney
General to declassify some PATRIOT Act reports
Read
the article.
Black History Month Stamp
Paul Robeson U.S.
Postage Stamp Robeson will appear on the 2004 Black Heritage stamp
issued by the United States Post Office during the month of February.
CAU Alumni Invited to Meet with
Dr. Arthur Gunn, Dean SLIS
When: Monday, September 22 6pm
Where: Auburn Avenue Research Library
101 Auburn Avenue NE
Atlanta, GA
Focus of the discussion includes strategies to convince
CAU administration to > continue supporting SLIS.
FACING CLOSURE- Clark
Atlanta University School of Library and Information Studies
Dear Colleagues:
Recently, the BCALA learned that a recommendation
was made to close the Clark Atlanta School of Library and
Information Studies. Since then we have developed an Ad
Hoc Task Force on the issue which has been working diligently
to determine what measures the Caucus can take to ensure
that the CAU SLIS continues its role in educating librarians
well into the twenty-first century and beyond.
Dr. Virginia Lacy Jones in her essay, "A
Dean's Career," in E. J. Josey's book, The Black Librarian
in America, said "the Atlanta University School of Library
Service began in the fall of 1941 with 25 carefully selected
students." That was 62 years ago. During these 62 years,
this institution of higher education has contributed significantly
to the development and improvement of African American school
libraries in the South. Before the establishment of the
School of Library Services at Atlanta University, there
were few school libraries for African American students
in the South.
By 1961, a mere 21 years after the founding,
the School of Library Services at Atlanta University had
begun admitting white Americans and international students
from Asia and South American countries. The library school
had made a significant impact on the education of African
American librarians. Dr. Jones was proud that the School
of Library Services at Atlanta University had educated more
than half of all African American librarians serving in
libraries across America.
In spite of its glorious history, the Clark
Atlanta University School of Library and Information Studies,
is now in danger of being closed. We have learned that because
Clark Atlanta University is having financial difficulties,
a committee advising the University President and the Provost
of Clark Atlanta University has recommended that the school
be closed to save the University money. According to a letter
from Dr. Authur Gunn, Dean of the Library School, it appears
that the committee is not aware that the library school
receives $500,000 each year from the state of Georgia to
support scholarships for Georgia students who attend the
library school. This information was not mentioned in the
committee's final report that recommended the library school's
closure.
We urgently request that every member of
the library school alumni write letters to the Atlanta University
president, the provost, and the board of trustees to remind
these officials of the importance of the Clark Atlanta University
School of Library and Information Studies to the nation
in general and to historically black colleges and universities
and the black community in particular.
We must save this important institution.
We are requesting that all librarians and educators join
the alumni of the library school in sending letters to the
president of Clark Atlanta University to express our opposition
to the closing of the library school, a school that has
contributed significantly to American libraries, African
American librarians and the African American people in general.
The School of Library and Information Studies at Clark Atlanta
University must not be closed.
Bobby Player, Sr.
President, BCALA 2002-2004
Letters should be
addressed to:
Dr. Walter Broadnax, President
Clark Atlanta University
Harkness Hall
223 James P. Brawley Dr. SW
Atlanta, GA 30314
Dr. Dorcas D. Bowles, Provost and
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Clark Atlanta University
Harkness Hall
223 James P. Brawley Dr. SW
Atlanta, GA 30314
Dr. William Boone, Associate Provost and
Chair, Academic Council
Clark Atlanta University
Harkness Hall
223 James P. Brawley Dr. SW
Atlanta, GA 30314
Dr. Ruby Thompson, Chair
Curriculum Committee
Clark Atlanta University
Clement Hall
223 James P. Brawley Dr. SW
Atlanta, GA 30314
Board of Trustees
2003
Coretta Scott King Children's Book Awards winners
BCALA Election Results Announced
The following BCALA members were recently elected to serve
a two year term on the BCALA Executive Board:
Rose Timmons Dawson
Tiffeni J. Fontno
Jos N. Holman
Ira Revels
Karolyn S. Thompson
Lainey Westbrooks
Karen Y. Williams
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