TIE Talks with Kimberley Bugg

Dr. Bugg discusses the AUC Woodruff Library's digital exhibit on the history of Black Atlanta, the library's role as a steward of history and a catalyst for discovery, and the importance of collaboration and trust in archival endeavors.

Posted on August 25, 2026 in Interviews

This TIE Talks features Dr. Kimberley Bugg, Chief Executive Officer and Library Director of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Robert W. Woodruff Library, one of the nation’s most significant collaborative academic libraries serving Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In the course of her conversation with TIE, Dr. Bugg discusses the creation and curation of the library’s “Black Neighborhoods and the Creation of Black Atlanta” digital exhibit, as well as the accessibility considerations that undergird the library’s many digital exhibits and the library’s role as a steward of history, preserving the legacies of historically underrepresented communities, particularly those within the Atlanta community and the broader African Diaspora, and a catalyst for discovery. Dr. Bugg also touches on the importance of collaboration in archival endeavors, not only with scholars and faculty, but also with community members and organizations. To conclude, she shares advice for early career researchers, librarians, or archivists similarly interested in preserving the histories of marginalized or often overlooked communities.

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The Atlanta University Center’s Robert W. Woodruff Library is home to numerous digital exhibits through the AUC GLAM Center for Collaborative Teaching & Learning, including the “Black Neighborhoods and the Creation of Black Atlanta” exhibit. How did this exhibit come to life, and how does it reflect the library’s broader commitment to preserving Black history??

A quick distinction about the library’s digital exhibits, the AUC GLAM exhibits are listed below, and were curated by the coordinator of the GLAM Center. The Library has a selection of digital exhibits curated by archivists and librarians who were working directly with collections or classes, and these exhibits support specific classroom instruction or highlight recently processed collections.

GLAM Digital Exhibits:

• African Americans in Times of War
• Black Interiors
• Celebrating the Legacy of Joseph E. and Evelyn G. Lowery
• Voice your Vote

The Black Neighborhoods and the Creation of Black Atlanta exhibit was curated by a Processing Archivist, Brittany Newberry. The exhibit was developed using collections such as the Grace Towns Hamilton Papers, the Maynard Jackson Mayoral Records, and the Atlanta Urban League Records. It reflects the Library’s broader commitment to preserving Black history by increasing access to archival collections, supporting teaching and learning across the AUC institutions, and highlighting the people, communities, and organizations that shaped Black Atlanta. This aligns with the Archives Research Center’s mission to be a premier destination archive for resources related to African American history and the African Diaspora.

Who were the lead librarians, historians, archivists, or community partners involved in shaping this exhibit, and what inspired them to make the exhibit digital? How did they pursue historical rigor while also ensuring inclusivity and accessibility in the exhibit’s final presentation?

The exhibit grew out of an instruction session with an AUC faculty member whose course focused on Atlanta’s Black neighborhoods. Recognizing an opportunity to connect students with primary sources, the archivist who processed the Grace Towns Hamilton collection curated the archival resources that met the needs of the class and highlighted many of the collections in the Archives Research Center. The sources for this exhibit can be found here: https://digitalexhibits.auctr.edu/digital-exhibits/black-neighborhoods-and-the-creation-of-black-atlanta/ under the “Resources” tab.

Did the research and curation process yield any unique insights about the importance of community memory, local archives, and shared stewardship? Were local organizations or residents involved in any way, and if so, how did their participation shape the narrative?

While local organizations and residents were not directly involved in the creation of the exhibit, their voices are central to its narrative through the archival collections they created and preserved. In addition to records from local political leaders, the exhibit draws heavily on the records of organizations such as the Atlanta Urban League and the Neighborhood Union, both of which documented the needs, experiences, and priorities of Atlanta’s Black communities. These records provide perspectives that extend beyond official government accounts and demonstrate the importance of preserving community voices alongside institutional records.

Although the archivist who curated the exhibit has since moved on to another professional opportunity, one of the lasting insights from the project is the profound legacy these individuals, organizations, and neighborhoods have had in shaping Atlanta. The exhibit reinforces the importance of local archives in preserving community memory and ensuring these histories remain accessible for research, teaching, and future generations. But it is important to note that this is just one project that utilized one methodology or approach. Other collections incorporate community engagement from collecting oral histories to community crowdsourcing photo metadata. Further, we never miss an opportunity to bring the collection back to the community through our programming.

What do you hope visitors take away not only from the exhibit itself, but also from the Robert W. Woodruff Library’s role as a steward of collections that document Black life, scholarship, and cultural memory? Why is that stewardship especially important in this moment?

We would like visitors to leave with a deeper understanding of Atlanta’s history and a more complete picture of the communities and individuals who shaped the city. We also hope they gain a greater appreciation for the value of archival research and primary sources. While online and secondary resources can provide an introduction to a topic, archives preserve the original documents, photographs, and firsthand accounts that offer context, nuance, and the perspectives of the communities themselves.

The AUC Robert W. Woodruff Library plays an important role as a steward of these collections by preserving, providing access to, and promoting the use of materials that document Black life and cultural memory. That stewardship is especially important today because it ensures these histories remain accessible, accurately represented, and available for teaching, research, and future generations. By preserving the voices and experiences of those who lived this history, the Library helps create a more complete and authentic understanding of the past.

The AUC GLAM Center offers a wide range of digital exhibits. How do accessibility and inclusive design shape the way these exhibits are developed, and what steps does the library take to make its collections discoverable and meaningful for diverse audiences, both within and beyond the Atlanta University Center?

The exhibits incorporate both visual and audio elements, and the primary source materials are available through the Library’s digital collections platform, where they include OCR text and are compatible with screen readers. The Digital Services Department also regularly monitors and audits the digital collections platforms to improve accessibility and ensure compliance with evolving standards.

Beyond accessibility, we work to make our collections discoverable and meaningful by creating descriptive metadata, providing contextual information that helps users understand the historical significance of the materials, and developing exhibits that support teaching, learning, and research. By making these collections freely available online, we extend access beyond the Atlanta University Center, enabling students, scholars, educators, and community members around the world to engage with these important historical resources.

As the knowledge hub of the Atlanta University Center, the Robert W. Woodruff Library and initiatives like the AUC GLAM Center play a vital role in connecting collections, teaching, and public history. How do the library’s collections and partnerships help broaden the range of stories that are preserved, taught, and made accessible?

The AUC Robert W. Woodruff Library serves as both a steward of history and a catalyst for discovery. Our collections document the experiences, scholarship, and cultural contributions of historically underrepresented communities, particularly those connected to the Atlanta University Center and the broader African Diaspora. Through the AUC GLAM Center and our partnerships with faculty, students, cultural organizations, and community members, we ensure that these stories are not only preserved but actively integrated into teaching, research, exhibitions, and public programming.

Collaboration is essential to this work. By partnering across institutions and with community organizations, we bring together diverse perspectives and create opportunities for shared stewardship of history. We also leverage digital technologies to expand access, making collections available to scholars, educators, and the public regardless of geographic location. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that the historical record reflects the richness and complexity of the communities we serve while inspiring new scholarship and deeper public understanding.

Do you have advice for early career scholars, librarians, or archivists, especially those from historically underrepresented backgrounds, who similarly want to bring to life overlooked community histories and build collections or exhibits that advance diversity, inclusion, and belonging?

Begin by listening. The most meaningful collections and exhibitions are built through authentic relationships with the communities whose stories are being preserved. Approach this work with humility, curiosity, and a commitment to shared authority, recognizing that community members are experts in their own histories.

I also encourage emerging professionals to embrace collaboration. No one advances this work alone. Seek mentors, build partnerships across disciplines, and engage with colleagues who challenge and strengthen your thinking. Remember that preservation extends beyond collecting materials; it includes documenting lived experiences, amplifying voices that have been overlooked, and ensuring that future generations have access to a fuller, more inclusive historical record.

Finally, be patient but persistent. Expanding representation in archives and libraries is long-term trust work. It requires consistency and thoughtful stewardship. Every oral history collected, every partnership formed, and every exhibit developed contributes to a more complete and accessible understanding of our shared history. Those seemingly small efforts have the power to create lasting impact for generations to come.

More about Dr. Kimberley Bugg

Dr. Kimberley Bugg is Chief Executive Officer and Library Director of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Robert W. Woodruff Library, where she leads one of the nation’s most significant collaborative academic libraries serving Historically Black Colleges and Universities. She provides strategic leadership for library services supporting Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and the Interdenominational Theological Center.

Dr. Bugg holds a PhD in Library Science and has built a distinguished career focused on advancing research, teaching, and equitable access to information in higher education. She is actively engaged in national library leadership, including service with the Association of Research Libraries and OCLC advisory groups, and is recognized for her commitment to innovation, collaboration, and student-centered library services within HBCU communities.

This interview was conducted by Fatima Mohie-Eldin. She is one of the social science editors at Choice.

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Find more interviews, blog posts, and resource lists on Toward Inclusive Excellence.

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Header image is a detail of This is Harlem by Jacob Lawrence. Courtesy of Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. © 2021 The Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, Seattle / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. For more information, click here.

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