Library Introduction

Striving to enhance understanding of the contributions of African Americans, the library contains materials relevant to the historical, sociological, political, and cultural aspects of the Black experience. The library houses more than 11,000 volumes on subjects ranging from political science and religion to cooking, folklore and literature. It is a treasured resource on African American life and thought for Purdue and the community. In addition to its extensive collection, the library subscribes to more than a variety of periodicals, including scholarly journals, popular magazines and newspapers. Electronic resources available in the library include CD-ROM databases, such as Art and Life in Africa, which is based on the Stanley Collection at the University of Iowa and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade produced by Cambridge University Press. The library also maintains a website that provides links to a variety of Black-related resources, such as the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at The New York Public Library; the Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies at Northwestern University; The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute at Stanford University; and the African American Perspectives database at the Library of Congress.

The BCC Library is located in Room 219 of the Black Cultural Center and is Purdue's premiere source for knowledge about African American culture and experience.

Visit the Library’s main site for more information and links to web and database resources.

The BCC Librarian provides individualized research support and consultation services. To schedule a research consultation or request access to the BCC Archives, please contact bcclibrary@purdue.edu.