Last fall, the odds seemed insurmountable.
As we planned, wrote, and re-wrote our IMLS grant proposal, we asked ourselves: “how could this be funded?” Not that it wasn’t a good idea. But as relatively novice grant writers, we knew we’d be competing against brilliant proposals from across the country.
So we tried our best.
And when our hard work wasn’t enough, Robin’s unyielding optimism carried us.
Months later, I’m happy to report that IMLS accepted our proposal. Not only that, our Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program project––Convening Great Lakes Culture Keepers––has already started. We’re busy implementing it now!
Over the coming months, by pursuing our vision to address the needs of LIS graduate students and tribal librarians, archivists, and museum curators, we’ll be bringing together both groups through continuing education.
This summer SLIS students will learn about best practices for maintaining partnerships with American Indian communities, indigenous research methodologies and pedagogy, tribal colleges and museums, and cultural competency in LIS.
Importantly, following the advice of Dr. Loriene Roy and others that “true understanding evolves from face-to-face contact,” the students are currently working in tribal communities for two weeks.[1] Thank you to everyone at the Oneida Nation Museum, College of Menominee Nation Library, and Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College Library for hosting us!
Then, as we learn more about everyone’s priorities, we’ll set to work together coordinating a four-day professional development institute. To be held at the Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture & Lifeways in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, in April 2014, it will bring together dozens tribal librarians, archivists, and museum curators from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
We look forward to sharing it all with you.
Over the next couple of weeks, our students will be giving first-hand accounts of their experiences. Over the next couple months, stop back as we reach out to Culture Keepers from throughout the Great Lakes and plan the institute at Ziibiwing.
Looking back, Robin’s optimism was well placed. I should have known, too, since nearly everyone who’s been involved in TLAM has been personally touched by the reorienting power of indigenous knowledge and community. Including me.
-Omar
[1] Roy, L. (2011). Weaving Partnerships with the American Indian peoples in your community to develop cultural programming. In Roy, L., Bhasin, A., & Arriaga, S. K. (Eds.), Tribal libraries, archives, and museums: Preserving our language, memory, and lifeways. (p. 142). Lanham: Scarecrow Press.