The Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) will honor Cynthia Hurd by making a donation in her honor and dedicate a new publishing award to her memory.
Hurd, a librarian at the College of Charleston and branch manager of Charleston County’s St. Andrews Regional Library, was one of nine people killed in the tragic shootings at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on June 17, 2015.
BCALA’s executive board will to donate $1,000 to the St. Andrews Regional Library. Last week, Charleston County library officials announced that they will change the name of the St. Andrews Regional Library to the Cynthia Graham Hurd St. Andrews Regional Library.
Additionally, BCALA will dedicate the awarding of the first BCALA Self-Publishing Digital Award to Hurd’s memory.
“Hurd was part of our professional community,” said BCALA president Kelvin Watson. “It seems no matter how much we do, it won’t be enough to truly commemorate such a contributor to our profession and her community. But we still feel obligated to do our part, and we hope this conveys our commitment.”