Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture
Renovation Announcement (Updated January 2018)

The College of Charleston’s Avery Research Center for African American History and culture will be closed to the public starting January 15, 2018, through August 31, 2018, to implement a major improvement project to replace the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems throughout the building.

During this renovation phase, the Avery building will be closed with LIMITED ACCESS to selected Avery Research Center’s archival collections, no new archival acquisitions, and no public or private on-site tours or events. The Avery Research Center’s faculty and staff will be temporarily relocated to the College of Charleston’s Addlestone Library. They can still be reached via their individual College of Charleston emails throughout the renovation. For general Avery Research Center inquiries throughout the renovation, email averyadmin@cofc.edu or call 853-953-7609.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding reference requests, please contact Barrye Brown, Reference and Outreach Archivist, at brownbo@cofc.edu or by phone at 843-953-7613. We are very excited about these renovations and apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you for your support!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the dates of the renovation?
   1. The renovation will be from April 2018 to August 2018. From January 2018 to March 2018, the Avery Research Center’s faculty and staff will be packing and moving collections out of the building.
2. When will the Avery Research Center reopen?
   1. We are aiming to reopen in time for Fall 2018. Please watch the Avery Research Center’s website and Facebook page for any information on delays.
3. What is being completed as a part of the renovation?
   1. The Avery Research Center will be getting a new HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system in place, so we can maintain better environmental conditions for the collections and personnel.
4. Will the Avery Research Center be open for tours, public meetings, and public programming?
   1. No, there will not be any tours, public meetings, or public programming in the building during the renovation period.
5. Will there be access to the Avery Research Center’s collections for research, exhibition, loans, or student assignments?
   1. There will be LIMITED access to selected collections from Avery Research Center’s collections for the duration of the renovation. A list of the available collections will be available on the website in March 2018.
6. Where will the collections be stored?
   1. The collections will be stored off-site and on-campus.
7. Are there any digital collections that I can access?
   1. Yes, we encourage you to review our collections on the Lowcountry Digital Library (LCDL) and explore the exhibitions on the Lowcountry Digital History Initiative.
8. Can I schedule an instruction session or workshop for my students or group?
   1. Yes, please contact Avery Research Center’s Reference and Outreach Archivist, Ms. Barrye Brown, at brownbo@cofc.edu or 843-953-7613 for assistance and direction. Note that the types of material available for classes will be limited.
9. I have an item/collection to donate, may I still bring it to the Avery Research Center?
   1. Avery Research Center will not be acquiring any materials during the renovation. Please contact the Manager of Archival Services, Ms. Aaisha Haykal, at haykalan@cofc.edu and/or Reference and Outreach Archivist, Ms. Barrye Brown, at brownbo@cofc.edu or 843-953-7613 for assistance and direction. We will be glad to discuss with you the collection and arrange for potential donation after the renovation is completed.
10. How can I contact the Avery Research Center’s Archival faculty and staff?
    1. Beginning March 2018, the Archival faculty and staff will be at the College of Charleston’s Addlestone Library. To arrange a meeting or research consultation, please contact them via their individual College of Charleston emails.
11. I have a research inquiry, who should I contact?
    1. Please direct any research questions to the averyresearchcenter@cofc.edu or Reference and Outreach Archivist, Ms. Barrye Brown, at brownbo@cofc.edu.
12. I have a general inquiry, who should I contact?
    1. Please direct any general inquiries about the Avery Research Center to averyadmin@cofc.edu or call 843-953-7609.
13. Where should I expect updates to be posted?
    1. Updates on the progress of the renovation will be posted to the Avery Research Center’s website at http://avery.cofc.edu/ and on the Avery Research Center’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/averyresearchcenter/.