University of Alabama (University of Alabama, School of Library and Information Studies)

The University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies will recruit and train 12 Black, Indigenous, and people of color paraprofessionals working in community‐based archives settings to earn library science master’s degrees with an archives concentration in their synchronous distance education program. Students will receive a structured, individually tailored curriculum that draws upon intersections in archival and social justice studies, including an integrated practicum course with community-based agencies. The project team will conduct ongoing evaluations to develop and refine a documented model, which they will share with the library and archives communities via the project website and national conferences. This project will help diversify the library and archives field and will serve as an example for other library and information science schools in cohesive curriculum integration drawing on social justice and inclusivity, implemented in synchronization with an existing program.