- Individuals who are committed to supporting and advancing African American librarians
The mission of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association is to serve as an advocate for the development, promotion and improvement of the library services and resources to the nation’s African-American community; and provide leadership for the recruitment and professional development of African American librarians. As the Affiliate in South Carolina, SCBLC adopts and affirms this mission.
We actively monitor state and national library associations to ensure their committees, divisions, and initiatives positively address and meet the specific needs of Black librarians.
We serve as a dedicated clearinghouse and central hub to encourage Black librarians to engage, network, and participate at all levels of the profession and within library associations.
We support efforts to achieve meaningful communication and fair representation in state associations, as well as on the governing and advisory boards of libraries at the state and local levels.
We guide and support the implementation of library services that are specifically designed to meet the information, literacy, and educational needs of Black communities across South Carolina.
We encourage the creation of accurate, authoritative information resources about Black history, culture, and people, ensuring this vital information reaches the larger community.
We review the records and evaluate the platforms of candidates seeking office within library associations to ensure leadership aligns with our core mission and supports our community’s needs.
South Carolina Black Librarians Caucus is an affiliate of the American Library Association’s Black Caucus. As such, it complies with national guidelines and policies of the Black Caucus and shares in the vision of serving the professional needs of African American librarians and their communities.
Established in 1970, the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) is a national organization that works to address the professional needs of African-American library professionals and the communities they serve. Formed initially to give Black librarians a stronger voice in the profession, BCALA now leads national initiatives in career promotion, providing scholarships, and funding literacy programs. State affiliates, like SCBLC, share this overarching goal to identify, develop, encourage, and support the advancement of African American librarians at the local level.
