Colleagues, The correct survey monkey link is https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q57GPDM Corrected dates are: May dates for Focus Group Session Wednesday, May 5, 11:00 - 12:30 ET Thursday, May 6, 11:00 - 12:30 ET Wednesday, May 12, 11:00 - 12:30 ET Thursday, May 13, 11:00 - 12:30 ET Wednesday, May 19, 11:00 - 12:30 ET Thursday, May 20, 11:00 - 12:30 ET Wednesday, May 26, 11:00 - 12:30 ET June dates for Focus Group Session Wednesday, June 9, 3:00 - 4:30 ET Thursday, June 10, 11:00 - 12:30 ET Wednesday, June 16, 3:00 - 4:30 ET Thursday, June 17, 11:00 - 12:30 ET Wednesday, June 30, 3:00 - 4:30 ET Return responses no later than Friday, April 9th. Excuse oversight. Respectfully, Sandra From: Sandra Phoenix [mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org] Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2021 8:57 AM To: hbcu-libadmin@lists.hbculibraries.org Cc: Hbcu-lib@lists.hbculibraries.org Subject: FW: Update/Invitation to Participate: Creating Access- Response Requested Greetings Colleagues, I trust you're well. The survey monkey link needed correction due to an error in dates. If you've done so, please re-submit your entries. Excuse the oversight. Respectfully, Sandra From: Sandra Phoenix Sent: Monday, March 29, 2021 5:32 PM To: hbcu-libadmin@lists.hbculibraries.org<mailto:hbcu-libadmin@lists.hbculibraries.org> Cc: Hbcu-lib@lists.hbculibraries.org<mailto:Hbcu-lib@lists.hbculibraries.org> Subject: Update/Invitation to Participate: Creating Access- Response Requested Greetings Colleagues, I trust you're well and practicing self-care. The purpose of this e-mail is to share updates and invite your participation in the HBCU Library Alliance/CLIR project Creating Access to HBCU Library Alliance Archives: Needs, Capacity and Technical Planning. Funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, this seventeen-month planning grant aims to: 1. build consensus around and articulate common values, priorities, and needs for describing and managing special and archival collections for the HBCU Library Alliance community; and 2. document basic technical capacities and user profiles that could be used to design sustainable shared technical solutions for creating access to the majority of HBCU Library Alliance members' archival collections. The project's major activities are: 1. a series of online focus groups with library directors and deans at HBCU Library Alliance institutions about the significance of institutional archives and related needs and aspirations; and 2. a series of online in-depth interviews about special collections and archival holdings, technical capacity, and researcher needs with a select group of library staff (archivists, systems librarians, and IT specialists) and faculty at five (5) HBCU Library Alliance institutions. A focus group facilitator and interview team have been hired as project consultants. We're pleased that Dr. Sharon Freeman, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Research and Effectiveness, Mississippi Valley State University, will lead the focus group sessions. Dr. Portia Hopkins and Dr. Synatra Smith, both CLIR Postdoctoral Fellows, will combine their expertise for the series of in-depth interviews. The project has received IRB approval from Mississippi Valley State University. Follow this link HBCU Library Alliance and CLIR Project Researchers<https://www.clir.org/2021/03/hbcu-library-alliance-and-clir-announce-appointment-of-project-researchers/> for more information. Membership Focus Groups and Outcomes The first activity stream is a series of membership focus group discussions led by Dr. Sharon Freeman. One library dean or director from each HBCU Library Alliance member institution is invited to participate in the focus groups. To ensure participation, eight to ten ninety-minute focus groups will be scheduled. A public report will be prepared by the focus group facilitator that articulates the findings of the focus group conversations with HBCU Library Alliance member deans and directors. This report will outline shared and diverging values, priorities, and needs related to creating access to special collections and archives at HBCU libraries. The report will also summarize any recommendations emerging from these conversations about collaborative actions that member institutions can take to improve access to rare and unique materials. Interviews and Outcomes - 5 Member Institutions The second activity stream is a more focused exploration on the needs and technical capacity for creating access to rare and unique materials at five (5) HBCU Library Alliance member institutions. The team proposes to look at the needs and capacity of five libraries in order to have a rich yet manageable range of data for analysis. The five institutions participating in the individual interviews represent the public, private and 1890's classification. This selection continues our strategic effort to empower the voices of all member institutions. 1. Lincoln University (MO) 2. Meharry Medical College (TN) 3. Prairie View A&M University (TX) 4. Southern University New Orleans 5. Xavier University (LA) The second outcome will be an internal report prepared by the consulting interviewer that includes a summary of technical capacities and user profiles that could inform the design of shared technical solutions that would suit the needs and priorities of member institutions. WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU One library dean/director from each member institution is invited to participate in the ninety-minute focus group session. These sessions are scheduled on Wednesdays and Thursdays in May and mid-June at either 11:00 - 12:30 ET or 3:00 - 4:30 ET. Paste this link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BQKQQN3 into your address bar and select at least three available dates. Respond to the survey no later than Friday, April 9th. As sessions are scheduled, formal invitations will be emailed to each participant. The invitation will include a welcome message, the agreed upon date of the focus group session, a hardcopy consent form, an electronic consent form, and a hyperlink to the assigned Zoom meeting. Consent forms can be signed electronically and returned to Dr. Freeman at dr.sharonfreeman@gmail.com<mailto:dr.sharonfreeman@gmail.com> . As each session approaches, a reminder will be sent via email one week prior and one day prior to the session date. The reminder will include additional details and directions for accessing the meeting using a Zoom hyperlink. This project is critically important to the HBCU Library Alliance as we stand together in support of the unique special and archival collections our community. Your flexibility and prompt response are appreciated. Contact me directly if you have questions or need additional information. Respectfully, Sandra Sandra M. Phoenix HBCU Library Alliance Executive Director Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta GA 30314 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> Honor the ancestors, honor the children and those yet to come. Building Capacity for Humanities Special Collections at HBCUs - Become an ally and partner with us to protect, preserve and share a more authentic record of American history. Follow this link http://hbculibraries.org/humanities-2019.html for more information. Follow this link http://hbculibraries.org/ and click on the Donate Now button to invest in this project. Your support is appreciated. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/