Towson University today announced the Albert S. Cook Library received two grants totaling $399,831 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ (IMLS) National Leadership Grants for Libraries program.

The funding will support two unique initiatives in Towson University’s Special Collections and University Archives Department: the development of a student-centered outreach model for academic archives and the implementation of a community-centered educational program to address Holocaust disinformation.

These grants help us demonstrate the impact of primary source materials in the classroom and the community.

Suzanna Yaukey, dean of university libraries

“I’m so thankful to the IMLS for choosing Albert S. Cook Library for this investment, which will support not only our unique collections, but also aid in building collections that are more representative of our students’ experiences,” says Suzanna Yaukey, dean of university libraries. “These grants help us demonstrate the impact of primary source materials in the classroom and the community.”

In collaboration with Central Michigan University and Georgia State University, Towson University’s Albert S. Cook Library will use $149,998 to bring students, faculty and practitioners together for a series of virtual forums to discuss student-centered outreach programming in academic archives and ultimately develop a best-practice model. This outreach model will support libraries’ efforts in encouraging students to visit, donate to and engage with campus archives.

Grant funding will support the development of a student-centered outreach model for academic archives and the implementation of a community-centered educational program to address Holocaust disinformation.

“The archives at libraries preserve university history, provide primary sources for researchers, capture community memories and support education initiatives,” says Ashley Todd-Diaz, principal investigator on the grant and assistant university librarian for special collections and university archives at TU. “By co-developing our outreach programs with students, we can increase their sense of belonging within academic archives and empower them to collaborate in accessing, preserving and contributing to history.”

Supporting Community-Centered Education

Towson University, in partnership with Brandeis University Library, Yeshiva University, the Jewish Theological Seminary and the University of Denver, will use $249,831 to implement a community-centered educational program, supported by Jewish cultural reconstruction (JCR) books. The JCR books were confiscated by the Nazis during World War II and then distributed to Jewish learning communities when their rightful heirs could not be located after the war.

Because of inconsistent cataloging practices, many JCR books remain unidentified and are in danger of remaining hidden or even discarded.

Because of inconsistent cataloging practices, many JCR books remain unidentified and are in danger of remaining hidden or even discarded. The grant will develop, test and share best practices and digital tools for book identification and cataloging; build a shared catalog of JCR books; and partner with museums, schools, universities and other cultural institutions to create Holocaust education programming using these books.

“Once the catalog is developed, these books and periodicals will be used to engage our community on Holocaust education,” says Yaukey, the grant’s principal investigator. “This catalog is gaining even more importance as the last generations of Holocaust survivors pass away. These physical artifacts will help fight disinformation and provide more resources for education because they are tangible pieces of evidence of the Holocaust.”

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About Towson University

Towson University is Maryland’s university of opportunities. With more than 150 years of experience pushing possibilities, TU is a nationally recognized leader in inclusive excellence, social mobility, research and discovery. As the largest university in greater Baltimore, TU’s momentum is always accelerating, with more than 20,000 students and 100 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in the liberal arts and sciences and applied professional fields.

Located amid one of the East Coast’s cultural and economic epicenters, TU is a beacon and powerful catalyst in the Mid-Atlantic, partnering with hundreds of businesses and organizations, impacting communities and fueling change. TU meets the holistic needs of each student to achieve success, a result of a deeply inclusive culture with a focus on equity among all students, faculty and staff.