Brown is first non-HBCU invited to join national HBCU Library Alliance

 Brown University is the newest member of a nationwide alliance dedicated to preserving and advancing the scholarly and institutional library collections of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Brown is the first non-HBCU member institution invited to join the HBCU Library Alliance, which was founded two decades ago to support collaboration among library professionals who provide resources to strengthen HBCUs and support their academic communities.

Brown Librarian Joseph Meisel said the University’s addition to the alliance presents myriad learning opportunities for library professionals at Brown and the broader community of students, faculty and staff.

“We are deeply honored to be the first non-HBCU member of this important alliance,” Meisel said. “This partnership will allow Brown to advance its approach to collecting, sharing and presenting its vast holdings with an eye toward centering African American stories that have long been overlooked. Brown and the HBCU alliance share common threads in our missions, and we believe we can enrich each other and become stronger together.”

Membership in the HBCU Library Alliance will open the door to exciting new opportunities for students, faculty and library staff at Brown, Meisel said. The alliance facilitates internships for students interested in library science careers, convenes professional development for library administrators and kickstarts collaborative research ventures.