Developing Southern libraries to influence the life of the African-American user: An exploratory, archival analysis

Library history provides a biographical account of libraries, which includes information concerning the establishment, benefactors, significant collections, services rendered, outstanding achievements, and other points of interest. However, records of library service to African Americans in the South prior to 1900 are rare or non-existent. Not until the early 20th century did the Julius Rosenwald Fund Library Program begin to offer library service to the black and white residents in the rural South. Through the analysis of archival documents, this dissertation explores the impact of the library program on Southern libraries and the role of the library in the life of the African-American user. In its attempt to educate the reader about the early African-American struggle for library access, this study highlights the lack of emphasis on library history research in the field of Library and Information Science (LIS) and its risk of losing a valuable sub-discipline. In addition, the field potentially forfeits invaluable insight and understanding of library service to African Americans in the 20th century. This could jeopardize future planning for adequate service to underrepresented populations. Using archival analysis, the study utilizes preset categories to investigate library practices of Rosenwald-funded libraries with anticipation for unanticipated concepts to emerge. This exploratory, archival analysis unveils the variety of approaches and practices the Julius Rosenwald Fund Library Program incorporated to improve library service not only to African-Americans users, but to the entire American South.