Virginia tech (VT), in partnership with aqqaluk trust (at) in alaska, will create and test a model for community archiving that addresses issues with long-term project sustainability that community…

Virginia Tech, in partnership with Aqqaluk Trust (AT) in Alaska, will develop and pilot a sustainable community archiving model addressing long-term project sustainability challenges through a dual-training program funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (CFDA 45.313). The $247,362 Project Grant award, effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027, will deliver integrated training designed to equip existing library and archives professionals with relationship-building skills necessary to meet practical community needs while simultaneously providing community members with informal STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills learning opportunities.

The pilot workshop will engage tribal village liaisons and community members throughout the Northwest Arctic Borough of Alaska, with direct benefits extending to library and archives professionals engaged in community archiving work and the communities they serve. By integrating professional development for library and archives staff with accessible STEM education for community participants, the project advances IMLS's core mission of recruiting, developing, and retaining diverse library and archives professionals while building institutional capacity across library and information science practice.

Virginia tech (VT), in partnership with aqqaluk trust (at) in alaska, will create and test a model for community archiving that addresses issues with long-term project sustainability that community archives often face. The workshop will integrate a dual-training program model that helps (1) existing library and archives professionals develop key relationship-building skills to ensure the community archive meets practical needs, while also providing community members with informal stem skills learning. Participants in the pilot workshop will include tribal village liaisons, community members in the northwest arctic borough (NWAB) of alaska, and libraries and archives professionals and beneficiaries will include library and archives professionals working with community archiving and the communities they serve.