By Kenneth Mullinax/ASU 

Dr. Janice Franklin, dean of Alabama State University's Levi Watkins Learning Center, was recently featured in a Forbes Magazine article, titled "Why Supporting HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Libraries Is Essential." The article highlighted the fact that Franklin, who also is the executive director of ASU's National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and African-American Culture, co-founded the national organization, The HBCU Library Alliance, with Loretta Parham of Atlanta University's Center Woodruff Library. 

"We were both advocates for the importance of HBCU libraries and we came together with others in our profession in 2001, at the Southeastern Library Network in Atlanta, to resonate the voices of our many Black college and university libraries and learning centers to issue a clarion call with our cohorts, which had as its goal sustainability and to strengthen and address the needs of our students and faculty who need our libraries for

ASU's Dean Janice Franklin (contributed).

research, learning and leisure," Franklin stated. 

THE FORBES ARTICLE

The author of the Forbes Magazine article, Marybeth Gasman, stated that she wrote the article in light of political controversies in some states that have proposed, and in some cases passed, legislation related to the banning of books on topics that include the Civil War and Civil Rights histories.

"Libraries at HBCUs are some of the most important institutions in the nation because they provide a window into African-American history and culture, curated by African-American librarians...libraries are vitally important and fundamental to all of us. They provide us with the freedom to learn about anything we desire," Gasman wrote. 

ABOUT THE ALLIANCE

The group that Dean Franklin helped create was incorporated in 2006. Today, the Alliance bolsters-up the mission of America's HBCU libraries, archives, and special collections, so as to transform and strengthen its member libraries, which helps them to have more accurate historical data and provide increased accessibility to both academics and the public.

In the Forbes article, Dean Franklin was quoted as saying, “Envisioning an alliance of libraries committed to the mission of learning in HBCUs was inspired by my own love of our institutions that have sacrificed much to educate and lift our people above the hardships they have experienced throughout American history.”

ASU news media contact: Kenneth Mullinax, 334-229-4104.

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