The African American Collections Advisory Board held its second Annual Meeting at Raymond L. Orbach Science Library on Saturday, October 22, 2016

University Librarian Steven Mandeville-Gamble and Associate University Librarian for Collections & Scholarly Communication Alison Scott welcomed AACA Board members and special guests at the start of the meeting.

The full-day program included panels and discussions on topics related to best practices in collecting and preserving the history of the African American experience and methods of documenting issues ranging from local to international impact, including:

• Community-Based Approaches to Documenting People of Color, led by Catherine Gudis, Director of the Public History Program at UC Riverside, University & Political Papers Archivist Bergis Jules, and Rose Mayes, Executive Director of the Fair Housing Council of Riverside County
• Activism & Public Policy, led by Nemata Blyden, Associate Professor of History and International Affairs at George Washington University, Meredith Evans, Director of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, Alison Scott, and Alexander Wilson, Jr., Vice President of External Affairs for Black Student Union and African Student Programs Representative on UCR Diversity Council.
• Afro-Futurism / Post-Colonial Endeavors, led by JJ Jacobson, Jay Kay and Doris Klein Librarian for Science Fiction, and Cherry Williams, Director of Distinctive Collections

“Hosting a national-level conversation like this helps to make sure that these voices are present and heard in our research, teaching and learning,” explained Alison Scott, Associate University Librarian for Collections & Scholarly Communication. “This is how the library’s communities can help us ensure that we’re building the kinds of collections and programs that meet our community’s needs. It involves looking back to make sure we document history, understanding emerging needs, and being part of the community.”

The program concluded with closing thoughts and feedback from Bergis Jules, Steven Mandeville-Gamble, Alison Scott, and Cherry Williams.

Board members in attendance were Abdul Alkalimat, Hardy Brown, Tamar Evangelista-Dougherty, Ruth M. Jackson, Yolanda T. Moses, Kenneth E. Simons, Ralph W. Smith, and Patricia Smith-Hunt, in addition to the panelists named above.

Special guests included MJ Abraham from Riverside’s Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties, Director of Development for Campus-wide Initiatives Samantha Lang, and Milagros Peña, Dean of UC Riverside’s College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHASS).