Greetings Colleagues, I trust you're well. Today I'm celebrating Alabama State University's contribution to the HBCU Library Alliance Digital Collection! Follow this link http://contentdm.auctr.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/ASUD for images important to the early days of the institution. This message provides historical context and additional information to support the July 12 "Re-Engaged Digital Committee" communication to the Membership. Use this message to communicate with your colleagues and community. Let me begin with a bit of background. The Digital Initiatives Committee, chaired by Dr. Janice Franklin, Alabama State University, was established after the 2002 Inaugural Meeting of the HBCU Library Alliance in response to members' interest in digital preservation. Follow this link http://hbculibraries.org/programs.html for more information. With support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Cornell University, the Atlanta University Woodruff Library and SOLINET, now LYRASIS, the HBCU Library Alliance partnered in one of the first projects in the nation to build a national framework for digitization of collaborative HBCU library cultural heritage materials. The HBCU Library Alliance Digital Collection contains primary resources from HBCU libraries and archives and is aimed to highlight the contributions of HBCUs and encourage broader collaboration between HBCU libraries and other organizations. The collection now contains more than 16,000 images of founding documents from twenty-three participating member libraries. Original committee members Loretta Parham, Atlanta University Center Woodruff Library (GA), Elsie Weatherington, Virginia State University and Adrienne Webber, University of Maryland Eastern Shore will offer their support and expertise. New members Cedric Davis, Alabama State University, and Monika Rhue, HBCU Library Alliance Vice-Chair, Johnson C. Smith University (NC) will offer their perspective and experiences related to digital activities. The committee will strategize the scope and direction of the HBCU Library Alliance's Digital Collection. Follow this link http://hbcudigitallibrary.auctr.edu/ to access the collection. The HBCU Library Alliance Board of Directors approved the following charge for the Digital Initiatives Committee. The Digital Initiatives Committee will provide oversight of the HBCU Library Alliance Digital Collection, investigate when appropriate collaborative solutions, and make recommendations for Board action. The HBCU Library Alliance Board of Directors commits to supporting activities of the Digital Initiatives Committee. The Digital Initiatives Committee is charged to: 1. Address concerns identified in the attached September 2014 Digital Collection Status Report (Report presented at the Atlanta 2014 Membership Meeting) - Collection scope and additions to the collection - Long term preservation of the collection - Funding to support the collection 2. Develop a model to increase institutional participation in the Initiative. 3. Develop a strategy for social media presence for the collection. 4. Reimagine the Initiative as a fundraising opportunity and develop a business plan. A membership survey to learn interest, needs and concerns is forthcoming. Contact me directly if you have questions or need additional information. Respectfully, Sandra SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) 404-577-5158 (fax) Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/ 7th Biennial Membership Meeting: Register here http://hbculibraries.org/html/2016meeting-form.html for the October 10,11 Membership Meeting in Atlanta. [Sized Coming Soon]NEW DIGS!!!! The HBCU Library Alliance is relocating to the Atlanta University Center Woodruff Library. Transition process is near completion. Stay tuned!!! Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta, GA 30314-4207 www.auctr.edu Honor the ancestors, honor the children.