ATG Book of the Week: Tribal Libraries, Archives, and Museums Preserving Our Language, Memory, and Lifeways

Title: Tribal Libraries, Archives, and Museums Preserving Our Language, Memory, and Lifeways

Edited by: Loriene Roy; Anjali Bhasin and Sarah K. Arriaga

ISBN: Softcover: 978-0-8108-8194-5; eBook 978-0-8108-8195-2
Price: Softcover: $55.00 • (£34.95); ebook: $54.99 • (£34.95)
Imprint: Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2011,  268 pages.

“This book offers a collection of articles devoted to tribal libraries and archives and provides an opportunity for tribal librarians to share their stories, challenges, achievements, and aspirations with the larger professional community. Part one introduces the tribal community library, providing context and case studies for libraries in California, Alaska, Oklahoma, Hawai’i, and in other countries. The role of tribal libraries and archives in native language recovery and revitalization is also addressed in this section. Part two features service functions of tribal information centers, addressing the library facility, selection, organization, instruction, and programming/outreach. Part three includes a discussion of the types of records that tribes might collect, legal issues, and snapshot descriptions of noteworthy archival collections. The final part covers strategic planning, advice on working in the unique environments of tribal communities, advocacy and marketing, continuing education plans for library staff, and time management tips that are useful for anyone working in a small library setting…”

“Tribal Libraries, Archives and Museums is a healthy addition to a growing body of literature on reclaiming and preserving indigenous cultural identity. It is of use and interest to the student or practitioner of library, archive or museum work.” Underpinning the book is a distinctive indigenous voice…”  Journal of Conservation and Museum Studies