WebJunction

This article is an excerpt from From Outreach to Equity: Innovative Models of Library Policy and Practice, by the ALA's Office for Literacy and Outreach Services; Robin Osborne, editor.

The Tribal Library Program of the New Mexico State Library is an innovative service that offers specialized library development to tribal communities on a statewide basis. The mission of the program is to promote and support information access in tribal communities with emphasis on current technology and tribal library development. The Tribal Libraries Program serves nearly 139,000 Pueblo, Apache, and Navajo community members in New Mexico. It employs two full-time consultants and has a training and outreach center located on the Navajo Nation in Crownpoint.

The Tribal Libraries Program was developed in 1994 in response to a call by State Senator Leonard Tsosie for improved library services and Internet access in New Mexico tribal communities. The New Mexico State Library rose to the challenge and created the Tribal Libraries Program. Funded for three years by the state legislature, the program initially provided computer equipment in tribal libraries and information centers, technology support, Internet access, and technology and Internet training workshops. In 1998, permanent funding of $270,000 per year was allocated to the New Mexico State Library to ensure the continuation and growth of the program.

Today, the Tribal Libraries Program consists of a direct grant program, technology training and support, consulting services, technical services support, and other services for tribal communities. Two full-time consultants serve 22 Native American communities in New Mexico by offering individual on-site consultation on all topics, including technology, policies and planning, programming, and best library practices.

The direct grant program helps to improve library services for tribal communities with existing libraries. Fifteen tribal libraries from Apache, Pueblo, and Navajo communities applied for and received direct grants in 2002–3.  Based on the needs of their communities, the tribal libraries used these grants for collection development, programming, furniture, computers, software, and a speaker series. Several special grants were also given to organizations that support the mission of the program. The Indigenous Language Institute and the Navajo Nation received funding for language instruction publications and web hosting and domain names.

The Crownpoint Training & Outreach Center was established in 1997 as a branch of the New Mexico State Library. It has 7,500 volumes and a specialized multimedia Native American collection that is available to the public. A full-time outreach librarian provides technology training, handles interlibrary loan requests, and answers reference inquiries for members of the Navajo Nation who live in New Mexico.

Support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Native American Access to Technology Program enables the Tribal Libraries Program to offer other training to tribal program staff and community members. Based on local need, workshops have focused on Microsoft Office, Internet research, ecommerce web design, and self-published bilingual books. The foundation also collaborates with the Tribal Libraries Program in the ongoing automation of 15 tribal libraries’ collections. Tribal librarians receive on-site assistance with weeding collections and with on-line cataloging.