Public libraries in America serve as a community hub for reading, research and rest — with open doors for all to access freely. But that wasn’t the case for decades when libraries, like most institutions, were segregated by race for patrons and librarians. A new summer course, offered by the School of Information Science, delved into the significant history of Black librarians who impacted the profession over the past 150 years in America.
Associate professor and Augusta Baker Endowed Chair Nicole Cooke taught the online History of the Black Librarianship course. About 60 students, including 20 Master of Library and Information Science students, enrolled in the new offering.
“I was pleasantly surprised to see so many people enrolled in the class,” said Cooke. “The students were a mix of MLIS students, current librarians and practitioners looking to enhance their knowledge while earning continuing education credits, and some who were interested in the content only and wanted to bask in a professional history that actually reflected them.”
Cooke said the course was a "culmination of years of research” which, in part, also led to the publishing of her most recent book, The Legacy of Black Women in Librarianship: When They Dared to Be Powerful. Her books profile 16 women who influenced the profession, whereas the course discussed both male and female librarians throughout history.
“Librarianship follows what happens in the country,” said Cooke. “Black people have helped to build the profession since before the 1900’s, yet black members of the American Library Association couldn’t even stay at the same hotels as white members during conferences. Many people, including our current students, don’t know this history about our profession. Sharing this research and these stories is like breaking open a time capsule of knowledge.”
Students learned about impactful leaders in the profession from Edward Christopher Williams, the first professionally trained black librarian in the United States and first black member of the ALA to Augusta Baker, a trailblazer who served as the first black coordinator of children’s services for the New York Public Library system and worked to diversify children’s literature. The course also offered 11, two-hour live sessions featuring guest speakers from various specialties in the field including archives and special collections, children services, library science education and research.
“Though most of our reading focused on historical information, our guest speakers spoke about the current topics they are facing in the field and their experiences as black librarians. The students were super engaged. I learned a lot from them myself,” said Cooke.
Cooke hopes the course will not only teach students a full and accurate history of librarianship, but also shed light on the reasons why black librarians only make up less than 6% of the profession. Cooke devoted her research and teaching to changing that statistic working to increase diversity in the MLIS program, preparing the next generation of culturally competent librarians, and advocating for continuing education for alumni.
“Our graduates serve in diverse communities,” said Cooke. “Knowing a full history of their chosen profession allows them to better understand themselves, their colleagues and the patrons they serve. We must push ourselves out of our comfort zone to see what has happened in the past, and what sometimes continues to happen in the workplace, so we don’t repeat it, to ensure the library is a place where all colleagues and patrons can thrive.”
Cooke said the School of Information Science will likely offer the course again in the summer of 2026, following its popularity this year.
“I think it’s more important than ever to share historical stories like those taught in this class. Some want to ignore, or even erase, parts of history. But we owe it to our students and our communities to learn from our history and make a better way forward for us all.”