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Tuskegee’s Ferguson among 2019 Authenticity Project Fellows

January 31, 2019

Contact: Michael Tullier, APR, Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing
 

Cheryl Ferguson
Ferguson

Cheryl Ferguson, an archival assistant with Ƶ Archives, is among the 15-member Authenticity Project Fellows’ 2019 cohort. The Authenticity Project Fellows program is a collaboration between the HBCU Library Alliance and the Digital Library Federation.

As part of the Ƶ Archives team, Ferguson helps to preserve and promote the university’s rich history that spans more than 137 years. During her 10-year tenure with the university, she has developed areas of specialty that include archival research, digital preservation, digitization, outreach/development, and program management. She is a member of the Society of American Archivists, Society of Alabama Archivists and the Association of African American Museums.

Outside of work, Ferguson is actively involved in the community. A Tuskegee native, she is a member of Tuskegee Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Tuskegee United Women’s League, Inc. She is also a graduate of Bethune-Cookman University.

This year’s cohort is the first of three annual cohorts. The fellows — all of whom work in libraries and archives at historically black colleges and universities — will benefit from professional development as part of the 2019 DLF Forum, as well as through online discussions, activities, and in-person networking. They also will have opportunities to apply for microgrant funding to undertake inter-institutional projects of strategic importance across DLF and HBCU Library Alliance institutions and communities.

Each will participate in quarterly facilitated, online networking and discussion sessions, and will be matched for mentorship and mutual learning with two experienced library professionals: an established mentor from an HBCU Library Alliance library or with a strong background in HBCUs, and a “conversation partner” working in an area of the fellow’s interest, ideally within a DLF member institution.

The fellows program is funded in part by a generous grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums.

Tuskegee’s historic preservation efforts are under the umbrella of the Ƶ Libraries. These efforts include the collection and preservation of university documents and artifacts by the University Archives; maintenance of digital and literary collections by the Ford Motor Company Library; exhibition and interpretation of works of art and collections relating to public health, science and medicine by the Legacy Museum; and collaboration through the university’s unique partnership with the National Park Service and its network of on- and off-campus museums designated as national historic sites.

About the HBCU Library Alliance

The HBCU Library Alliance is a consortium that supports the collaboration of information professionals dedicated to providing an array of resources to strengthen HBCUs and their constituents. As the voice of advocacy for member institutions, the HBCU Library Alliance is uniquely designed to transform and strengthen its membership by developing library leaders, helping to curate, preserve and disseminate relevant digital collections, and engaging in strategic planning for the future. Learn more at http://hbculibraries.org.

About the Digital Library Federation

DLF is an international network of member institutions and a robust community of practice, advancing research, learning, social justice, and the public good through the creative design and wise application of digital library technologies. It is a program of CLIR, the Council on Library and Information Ƶ — an independent, nonprofit organization that forges strategies to enhance research, teaching, and learning environments in collaboration with libraries, cultural institutions, and communities of higher learning.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services

The IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. They advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Their vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit

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