University of Iowa (University of Iowa, School of Library and Information Science)

The University of Iowa School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) will carry out a Forum project to investigate best practices for increasing the capacity of library workers in small and rural libraries to organize community-engaged archives sustainably and equitably. The project team will hold a series of meetings with an expert advisory panel of library practitioners, archivists, and researchers to inform the development of curricula and training materials accessible to working library professionals in rural information environments nationwide. The project team will focus on translating their research findings into open educational resources, distributing results, and positioning SLIS to initiate a lightweight online curriculum designed to network and support rural information professionals across the country. The project will help to increase the capacity of rural professionals to use inclusive memory practices to highlight and make diverse community memory records accessible.