ATLANTA,
GA—The Robert W. Woodruff Library (RWWL)
of the Atlanta University Center will be the
initial home of a collection of books and writings
of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Woodruff
Library is the official and only library operating
to serve the information needs of the students
and faculty of Morehouse College (King’s
alma mater), as well as Clark Atlanta University,
the Interdenominational Theological Center
and Spelman College. Serving a combined student
body of nearly 10,000, the Library and its
four member colleges and university represent
one of the nation’s largest and most
unique consortiums of institutions of higher
learning.
On June 23, a group of
prominent Atlantans, led by current Atlanta
Mayor Shirley Franklin
and former Atlanta Mayor and U.S. Ambassador
to South Africa Andrew Young, purchased and
transferred the historic collection to Morehouse
College. The King Papers and books from his
personal library were previously scheduled
for auction on June 30 by Sotheby’s in
New York. At the request of Morehouse, the
Woodruff Library of the Atlanta University
Center will serve as “custodian” of
the King Papers, housing and overseeing the
security and preservation of the collection
until further notice.
Loretta Parham, the Woodruff’s CEO/Library
Director, said her organization is honored
to be involved with this historic collection
and especially gratified to have Morehouse
request the Library’s involvement. “Our
Atlanta University Center member institutions
rely on us to meet the information needs of
their students and faculty every day,” she
said. “By its actions, Morehouse is demonstrating
a great deal of faith and trust in the expertise
and facilities of the Woodruff Library. We
are humbled by this wonderful vote of confidence.”
The six staff members of
the Woodruff Library Archives & Special
Collections Department have day-to-day responsibilities
for the cataloging
and care of more than 1 million documents,
books and artifacts within its collections.
These materials are regularly referenced in
articles, books, exhibits, films, Web sites
and other scholarly works. They are used daily
by students, faculty, authors, journalists,
curators and other researchers nationally and
internationally.
The transition effort will be led by Brenda
Banks, retiring Deputy Director of the Georgia
State Archives, who will serve as Chief Archivist
for the King Papers during the initial period
of transitioning and processing. She has been
hired by Morehouse College to inventory and
properly prepare the collection for preservation
and storage and scholarly access.
In preparation for the
King collection, the Archives & Special
Collections staff has been consulting with
local librarians and archivists
from local institutions, including the University
of Georgia Libraries, Atlanta History Center,
Auburn Avenue Research Library on African-American
Culture and History, Georgia State Archives,
Georgia State University, SOLINET (Southeastern
Library Network) and ARCHE (Atlanta Regional
Council for Higher Education). Woodruff Library
has plans to formalize and expand this advisory
group to garner more expertise.
“The archives staff is excited about
the opportunity to work with the King Papers – to
help preserve and make them available for research
and study,” said Karen Jefferson, Head
of Archives & Special Collections at Woodruff. “Our
staff routinely handles special and historical
materials. Each collection is in its own way
unique and offers a wealth of new information
that enriches our understanding of who we are
as a people and as a nation. The King Papers
certainly add to that knowledge in a significant
way.
”Visit:
http://www.auctr.edu/collections/archives-collections.asp for more information about the Archives & Special
Collections Department of the Robert W. Woodruff
Library of the Atlanta University Center. To
arrange media interviews, contact Adrian B.
Carver, RWWL Communications Manager, at 404-978-2114
or acarver@auctr.edu.
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About
the Library
Constructed in 1982,
the Robert W. Woodruff Library is an
independent
entity
organized and operated for the exclusive benefit
of
its member institutions—Clark Atlanta
University, the Interdenominational Theological
Center, Morehouse College and Spelman College.
These colleges and universities represent the
world’s
largest consortium of historically black institutions
of higher learning. The
Library serves a combined student body of more
than 10,000.
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