Building on the understanding that community archives are best kept where they are accessible to the community that created them, The Center for Public History and Special Collections at the University of West Georgia have partnered with Antioch A.M.E Church to collect, digitize and share records about the history of the congregation. The result is the Antioch A.M.E Digital Archive (http://antiochamehistory.org/archive), an example of the recent turn in archival practice to building “community archives.” This session will discuss the concept of “community archives,” the genesis and creation of the Antioch A.M.E. Digital Archive, and the opportunities and challenges of partnerships between community organizations and academic institutions. Strategies for building similar programs in theological libraries will also be shared along with best practices learned from the University of West Georgia's two community archives pilot projects, “Enhancing Discovery of Archival Holdings in West Georgia” and “Preserving African American Church Records in Carroll County."
