Indigenous Knowledge Centre, a Great Idea from Your Public Library
Your
Thunder Bay Public Library is responding to the National Centre for Truth and
Reconciliation’s calls to action in many ways. We have made it part of
our strategic plan and are taking action on many fronts. With the indispensible
guidance of our Indigenous Liaison Robyn Medicine, and in consultation with the
Indigenous Advisory Group and others from our community, we are building
connections and relationships.
Some
of the results of our sharing and thinking have been a series of successful and
culturally relevant programming, collaboration with the NCTR and NFB with a
series of films on the topic of reconciliation, hosting of an author visit with
Tanya Talaga, author of Seven Fallen Feathers and more.
Right
now, we are in the process of developing Indigenous Knowledge Centres at each
of your Library branches, starting with the Waverley Library. We hope to
launch these in June. These centres are meant to decolonize library spaces and
classification (Dewey Decimal arrangement) and provide safe and accessible
spaces with relevant Indigenous materials for all ages, educational elements
such as copies of the Robinson-Superior Treaty, maps depicting pre-contact
names and artistic works done by local Indigenous youth.
Rather
than having these materials strewn through the overall collection in various
subject classifications, we are bringing everything together – books,
newspapers, magazines, films , graphic novels and music and renaming the
subjects to reflect the emphases of the Truth and Reconciliation
recommendations.
One
will find materials about treaties, reconciliation, residential
schools, contributions of the Indigenous and Métis people, art books, fiction,
poetry and graphic novels by Indigenous creators and more in these centres.
Families
can browse together because we have brought all formats and all age ranges into
the one space.
Already
we can see what a wealth of material had been “hidden” within our overall
material collection. We are so fortunate as our Friends of the Library group
have fund-raised and given us a substantial sum in order to develop the spaces
and add new material.
I
have been enjoying the process of seeing it start to come together and keep
finding more and more titles that I want to read. I’d like to share some of my
favourites (to date) with you and also want to appeal to any and all Indigenous
readers to share suggestions for titles which you would like to see in these
Centres. Your contributions are both welcome and needed. Send your thoughts to comments@tbpl.ca
Just a sample of books that will be available for all ages at the Indigenous Knowledge Centres opening in June. Waverley Library will be the first but all the branches will have a centre.
Moonshot Volume 1 by various
A collection of graphic novel artists’ works showing the rich heritage of Indigenous storytelling.
As Long as the Rivers Flow by Larry Loyie
A lovely story of the author’s last summer before he left for residential school where he and others were taken from their families to attend an institution which aimed to strip them of their language and culture. In picture book format for children (and all ages)
Peace Pipe Dreams : The Truth About Lies About Indians by Darrell Dennis
The author looks at interactions between settlers and Indigenous people in North America and deconstructs stereotypes and mistruths while providing accurate information. This is done with more than a little humour.
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