The Library of Congress is starting an initiative to expand its collection, encourage diversity among future librarians and archivists and make it easier for members of minority groups to explore the library’s digital archives. The program will be instituted over the next four years and is funded with a $15 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, part of a shift by the foundation toward issuing art and humanities grants through what it has called “a social justice lens.”The library also described the move, called “Of the People: Widening the Path,” as part of a larger plan to help the institution by building on a commitment to collect and preserve more “underrepresented perspectives and experiences,” according to a news release, and inviting new generations to participate in creating and sharing vital cultural materials. In doing so, “we invest in an enduring legacy of the multifaceted American story that truly is ‘Of the People,’” Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, said in a statement.

Source: New York Times January 27, 2021 04:52 UTC