Welcome to my page! My name is Anthony Wright de Hernandez and I'm the Community Collections Archivist, Community and Cultural Centers Librarian, and Resident Librarian at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.
I'm also a current member of the Society of American Archivists Finance Committee and the ACRL Residency Interest Group Web Committee. Originally from the Washington, DC area, I moved to Blacksburg after 3 years in Iowa and 9 years in Minnesota. I have a Master of Library & Information Science (MLIS) from the University of Washington, Seattle and a BA in Community Studies from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. I'm also a member of Beta Phi Mu, the international honor society for library & information science and information technology and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity.
Virginia Tech’s motto, Ut Prosim (That I may serve), expresses why I chose to pursue a career in academic libraries and archives in particular. For most of my life, I worked various jobs that were taken primarily to pay bills. After years of unfulfilling low-level work in the corporate sector, I returned to school and finished my bachelor’s degree. This degree, my husband’s work in university residential life, and the It Gets Better Project inspired me to pursue a career where I can serve society by helping to advance research, knowledge, and information access. It is my belief that increased access to and understanding of our history serves to improve society for all and help break down the divisions that make things like #ItGetsBetter and #BlackLivesMatter necessary.
My primary research interest is on how archives can improve access to unique or overlooked aspects of culture and history as a means of increasing cultural understanding and respect. As Community Collections Archivist at Virginia Tech, I worked on the LGBTQ History at Virginia Tech oral history project, worked with the Black Cultural Center to explore the history of the Black experience at Virginia Tech, and coordinated events for the Native Voices traveling exhibition. My current projects include working with the new Asian Cultural Engagement Center to assist them in creating a library of resources for their users, and a full survey of our archives to create better discoverability for collections relevant to traditionally underrepresented groups.
For more information on what I'm currently doing, visit the Current Projects page or check out the Past Projects area to learn about things I did in the past.
Thank you for visiting!
I'm also a current member of the Society of American Archivists Finance Committee and the ACRL Residency Interest Group Web Committee. Originally from the Washington, DC area, I moved to Blacksburg after 3 years in Iowa and 9 years in Minnesota. I have a Master of Library & Information Science (MLIS) from the University of Washington, Seattle and a BA in Community Studies from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. I'm also a member of Beta Phi Mu, the international honor society for library & information science and information technology and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity.
Virginia Tech’s motto, Ut Prosim (That I may serve), expresses why I chose to pursue a career in academic libraries and archives in particular. For most of my life, I worked various jobs that were taken primarily to pay bills. After years of unfulfilling low-level work in the corporate sector, I returned to school and finished my bachelor’s degree. This degree, my husband’s work in university residential life, and the It Gets Better Project inspired me to pursue a career where I can serve society by helping to advance research, knowledge, and information access. It is my belief that increased access to and understanding of our history serves to improve society for all and help break down the divisions that make things like #ItGetsBetter and #BlackLivesMatter necessary.
My primary research interest is on how archives can improve access to unique or overlooked aspects of culture and history as a means of increasing cultural understanding and respect. As Community Collections Archivist at Virginia Tech, I worked on the LGBTQ History at Virginia Tech oral history project, worked with the Black Cultural Center to explore the history of the Black experience at Virginia Tech, and coordinated events for the Native Voices traveling exhibition. My current projects include working with the new Asian Cultural Engagement Center to assist them in creating a library of resources for their users, and a full survey of our archives to create better discoverability for collections relevant to traditionally underrepresented groups.
For more information on what I'm currently doing, visit the Current Projects page or check out the Past Projects area to learn about things I did in the past.
Thank you for visiting!
orcid.org/0000-0002-2569-6556