UR Librarians Selected for National Digital Library Project

Two University of Richmond staff members at Boatwright Memorial Library, Rob Nelson and Kimberly Wolfe, have been selected for their expertise as digital library practitioners to participate in the Authenticity Project, a national collaboration to create a more diverse and inclusive digital library workforce.

The goal of the Authenticity Project is to improve collaboration between historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominantly white institutions. It was launched by the HBCU Library Alliance and the Digital Library Federation as a professional development program for library staff from HBCUs.

Rob Nelson is head of digital engagement and director of the University of Richmond Digital Scholarship Lab, which uses innovative digital strategies to address humanities and social sciences research questions. Kimberly Wolfe is the digital collections librarian and creates digital collections of university publications and cultural heritage materials.

Nelson and Wolfe will engage in mutual learning with peers from HBCUs about the digital library field. Through sharing their expertise in digital collections, Nelson and Wolfe will work with their peers towards collaborative goals.

“As a conversation partner, I am matched with a program fellow from an HBCU to explore our professional roles, experiences, challenges, and hopes for the future,” said Wolfe. “We all come to this project with an interest in equality and inclusion, and this program provides an excellent opportunity to connect, learn, and build relationships across institutions.”

Nelson and Wolfe will participate in the Authenticity Project from January to December 2019.

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