Improving & Delivering Effective Library Services for Aboriginal Peoples in Saskatchewan

A Canadian Province's Approach to Answering the Needs of the Aboriginal Community

Wendy Sinclair-Sparvier

Saskatchewan's Aboriginal Demographic

Introduction

Two Canadian provinces, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, have the highest Aboriginal population per capita. Saskatchewan has a population close to one million residents, of which 11.4 % are of Aboriginal ancestry. In Manitoba, 11.7% of its 1,100,000 residents are of Aboriginal ancestry.

Population trends in Saskatchewan indicate that by the year 2005, Aboriginal peoples will make up 20-25 % of Saskatchewan's workforce. By the year 2045, it is projected that Saskatchewan's Aboriginal population will compose 32 percent of the population (see Appendix 1). The increasing Aboriginal population presents a challenge to libraries across the province.

In spite of the fact that Saskatchewan has a well-established provincial library system with seven regional libraries serving the Southern part of the province, the Pahkisimion Nuye,ah Library system providing library service to the northern residents and two municipal libraries serving the residents of Regina and Saskatoon, library service to the Aboriginal population has not received the attention needed to address the growing need for library service by the Aboriginal communities. Changes have, however, started to occur in the last ten years.

The establishment of the Library Service for Saskatchewan Aboriginal Peoples (LSSAP) in 1991 brought awareness to the need to serve the Aboriginal communities on and off reserves. In 2001, the formation of a Minister's Advisory Committee on Library Service for Aboriginal people set the stage for dealing with the issues in a more formal way. Across the province, initiatives taken by some libraries to serve the growing Aboriginal population, is also having an impact.

This paper will first discuss two provincial initiatives to address ways to improve library service to the Aboriginal communities and then will discuss the initiatives taken by one of the branches of the Regina Public Library to bring library service to its Aboriginal community.

Library Services For Saskatchewan's Aboriginal Peoples Committee

Established in 1991, the Library Services for Saskatchewan Aboriginal Peoples (LSSAP) committee was organized for information sharing on issues relating to library services for Aboriginal peoples in Saskatchewan based on identified needs by library and information workers from Band school libraries, public libraries, and post-secondary institutions. Some of those needs include: identification of library training that meets the needs of Aboriginal Peoples, creation of personal and organizational linkages to better serve Aboriginal peoples, better knowledge at the local level of the options for library services, identification of sources of information relating to Aboriginal peoples, and recognition by public libraries of the need to improve library services for Aboriginal peoples, both on and off reserves.

The LSSAP committee meets approximately 6 times a year, rotating between Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Regina. Representatives are from public libraries, Band school libraries, Aboriginal and Métis organizations and institutions, Provincial Library and the Saskatchewan Library Association. People of aboriginal descent who have an interest in libraries or who work or volunteer in a band/school/public library are encouraged to join the committee at any time.

The LSSAP committee has spearheaded several initiatives. Among them are:

• Offering of conferences to provide networking opportunities, generating discussion of issues, providing ideas for solutions, and promoting vital information services.
• Hosting hands-on workshops for new users including basic Windows, email, list serves, Internet searching, bookmarks, saving and printing files, and creating home pages after Industry Canada provided computers to many on-reserve schools in Saskatchewan in 1996 through the "Computers in Schools Program." These sessions were offered in co-operation with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations.
• Providing financial assistance to the Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centre to hire students to index periodicals that were predominantly aboriginal. This database index, First Nations Periodical Index , is accessible on the Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centers web site. URL: http://www.sicc.sk.ca/library.htm

Presently, the LSSAP committee is exploring possible initiatives such as the "Storytelling Week" to be held throughout Saskatchewan in February of each year throughout the province to promote First Nations and Métis oral traditions and the use of public libraries. The winter timing for the Storytelling Week observes the First Nations traditional time for storytelling. The committee is also providing advice in the implementation of the recommendations in the Minister's Advisory Committee on Library Services for Aboriginal Peoples Report; Information is for Everyone.

Minister's Advisory Committee on Library Services for Aboriginal People

The Minister's Advisory Committee on Library Services for Aboriginal Peoples was formed in May of 2001 to look at ways to improve access to library services for all Aboriginal peoples in Saskatchewan.  

Two main areas of concern prompted the establishment of the Advisory Committee. First, only a small percentage of First Nations communities in southern Saskatchewan (south of La Ronge) have joined the regional public library system in their area. Second, Saskatchewan public libraries are not attracting off-reserve First Nation and Métis peoples and their numbers are not reflected in proportion to the population.     

The mandate of the committee was to identify ways to foster Aboriginal participation in, and commitment to, the development and maintenance of public library services designed to meet the library needs of all Aboriginal peoples in Saskatchewan.

The Advisory Committee included representatives from libraries, First Nations and Métis organizations, and government, and included several LSSAP committee members. Over 50% of the committee was of Aboriginal descent.

The Advisory Committee held six public consultations throughout Saskatchewan between May and August 2001. Representatives from First Nations, Tribal Councils, Métis Nations, public libraries and various organizations and government departments were personally invited to attend the consultations.

After the consultation with the public, the committee produced a report and made 46 recommendations. The report, Information is for Everyone was launched in February 2002 and is available at the following URL: http://www.lib.sk.ca/staff/minaboriginal/ablib/ablibfinal.html

The recommendations range from creating universal access to library services for all Aboriginal peoples, including those who live in First Nation communities, developing equitable access by forming partnerships, to raising awareness and cultural sensitivity to the needs of all Aboriginal peoples.

The majority of the recommendations are directed towards the public libraries to make libraries more welcoming and culturally sensitive to the needs of First Nations and Métis people by:

• Increasing Aboriginal representation on public library boards;
• Encouraging employment and training opportunities for Aboriginal peoples;
• Developing culturally responsive programming;
• Developing collections of materials by, for, and about Aboriginal peoples;
• Taking initiatives to assist in the promotion and preservation of Aboriginal oral traditions, Aboriginal languages, cultures and histories;
• Employing Aboriginal staff at all levels;
• Consulting with Elders to provide cultural direction;
• Developing partnerships and relationships with First Nations and Métis organizations, institutions and communities;
• Training on Aboriginal cultural awareness and sensitivity;
• Establishing Aboriginal Library Consultant positions
• Adding an Aboriginal component to the Saskatchewan Libraries website.

The key recommendation is that First Nations retain responsibility for developing and funding local, on-reserve library services, in cooperation with the regional libraries and the federal government. It is their responsibility to determine the kind and level of public library services they wish to establish on reserves, such as, stand alone public libraries, school-housed public libraries, book mobiles, book drops, computer, or van delivery.

The Saskatchewan Provincial Library has developed a five year Action Plan to ensure that progress is made in implementing these recommendations.

The implementation of the committee's recommendations is critical to the future of the public library system in the province and is a key step in enriching the lives of all Aboriginal residents of Saskatchewan.

Albert Library: an inner city branch of the Regina Public Library

The Community

The Albert Branch Library serves the Regina community called North Central. The population in this part of the city is about 10,500, (1996) with forty percent of the population being of Aboriginal ancestry - First Nations, Métis and non-status. The Aboriginal population continues to increase rapidly, as families move from rural areas to the city. It is estimated that ninety percent of Albert Library's patrons are of Aboriginal ancestry.

Many live in poverty and have low literacy skills. In addition many youth and seniors are at risk. A segment of the population earns income outside the formal marketplace. The largest age group in North Central is between 25-29 years. The number of children between 0-4 years of age is the second largest age group in the neighborhood. The majority of the houses in the community were built before 1946 of which many are in poor condition. This may explain the high transient rate.

The Albert Community Library Committee

In 1979, a report written for the Regina Public Library Board recommended reducing the hours of service because circulation levels did not meet library standards for a branch. Community representatives argued that the reason the branch was not being used to its full potential was because it did not meet the needs of the community it served. A First Nations community member stated at the time that she would like to see Aboriginal art work on the walls, library staff who smile at her and make her feel welcome at the library, and perhaps, offer her a cup of tea.

There was a series of meetings between the community, represented by the North Central Community Society and the Regina Public Library Board. The objective was to find a resolution satisfactory to both the community and the library board. The outcome was a formal agreement between the North Central Community Society and the Regina Public Library Board establishing a community advisory committee for Albert Library in 1980. The agreement gave the community an advisory role in the areas of staffing, programming, and collection development. The community library committee was to bring the needs of the community to the branch staff, thus helping to define the services the library provided. This agreement is renewed on an annual basis.

The community library committee meets at least ten times annually in order to fulfill the responsibilities set out in the agreement. Membership on the Albert Library Committee is open to anyone living or working in the North Central area of Regina.

As a result of the library committee's independence from the library system's administration and board, the Albert Library Committee has been able to go to outside funding agencies for support of a number of programs and services over the years. Included in these efforts are:

• In 1995, the Albert Library Committee funded and hosted the first Canadian meeting of inner city library patrons and staff. The library committee secured funding for travel, accommodations & meals for the participants. The conference brought inner city library patrons and staff together to discuss the past, present and future of library services to the dynamic communities of Canada's inner city urban landscape. The conference was an unqualified success. Delegates from diverse communities quickly recognized many common patterns about the library services they provided in their community.    
• The library committee obtained funding for various culturally based programs. For instance, in 1994, Albert Library received a grant of $10,000 for Aboriginal content programming. Cree classes, Pow wow dancing, beadwork, cultural awareness, and storytelling were some of the programs offered at the library. The highlight of the year was a field trip to a First Nations heritage park called, Wanuskewin, for inner city children, youth and their parents. Circulation statistics greatly increased during this period.
• With the committee's recommendation, gallery space for artists to exhibit their work was established. The branch hosts an annual art exhibition for the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College's Indian Fine Arts Department. The gallery space provides an opportunity for students to promote their work; and with the potential to sell their art as well. Albert Library also has Aboriginal artwork painted on its exterior walls, created by students of the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College.
• The library committee received a grant in 1996 to host The Asokhan Storyteller in Residence Projec t for one year with a First Nations traditional teacher as the resource person. This project integrated storytelling into the library's regular programming. As a result of this project, storytellers in the community worked together, young people were taught First Nations oral history, interviewing and collection methods, materials were published and storytelling skills were passed along to the younger generation. The storyteller-in-residence project also provided an opportunity for members of the community to participate in three daytrips to significant First Nations reserves. Included in these day trips, participants were taught various First Nations protocols, i.e. how to pick sweetgrass.
• One of the Albert Community Library Committee's goals is to bridge the technology gap between those who have computer access and those who do not, by providing a computer lab for the North Central Community. A computer lab was established at the Albert Library in 1998, with a federal Community Access Program (CAP) grant, in partnership with two other Regina organizations. The project was developed to allow lower income communities with little access to computers the opportunity to gain computer knowledge, thus providing education advantages and potential economic benefits. The Computer Lab is open at no cost to the community. People can book a computer for one-hour time slots. Training sessions are offered to the public, and youth are given computer educational activities for 15 minutes of each hour in the lab.    The lab has a paid Computer Lab Facilitator in the room at all time to provide assistance. From it inception, the Computer Lab has been open a total of 33.5 months. The Lab has provided 2,0267 hours of programming and free access to computers for 9,876 adults and youth.  The Committee is now looking at other sources of funding to continue making the Lab available to the community.
• The library committee fund-raised to send representatives to present papers at international conferences relating to library services for Aboriginal peoples. Papers were presented at: IFLA Library Services for Indigenous Peoples in Tromso Norway in November 1998; and the International Indigenous Librarians' Forum in New Zealand (1999) and Sweden (2001).
• The library committee produced a video on the branch and the community it serves, to show at conferences and presentations.

Circulation and general library usage have increased steadily since the community was given a definitive voice in the operation of the Branch.

Albert Library

Albert Library has been serving Regina's inner city community since 1913. The Albert Library provides basic library services enhanced by an in-depth Aboriginal collection, and culturally based programming. The branch also provides a safe environment for neighborhood children and youth.

Staffing

The staff includes the Albert Branch Head, one full time Library Assistant, one part time Library Assistant, and three part time Public Services Clerks.

Albert tries to hire staff members who live in the community. Such people usually have a better understanding and knowledge of the North Central community and of Aboriginal people. On all of the Albert Branch Library's job descriptions, one of the required qualifications listed is "knowledge of native culture and language."

The Branch Head attends and participates in organizations based in the North Central community and reports monthly activities to the library committee. For example, the Branch Head is a member of the Board of the Street Culture Kidz Project, thus enabling her to promote Albert Library programming and encourage use of library resources. Being involved in the community first-hand, with others who are working and/or living in the neighborhood, and with community residents, has enhanced the work of the library in its day-to-day operations. Meeting and working with the library staff outside the library building has reduced the "institutional" view of the library in the community. The Branch Head is also involved in provincial committees that deal with library services for the Aboriginal peoples of Saskatchewan.

The best way to understand any community is to become a part of that community. Staff members keep their fingers on the pulse of the neighborhood by attending meetings and socializing with library clients. The concerns of the community are the concerns of the library staff. In addition, staff members are given tours of community agencies (there are 47 agencies in North Central), to become more knowledgeable about groups in the area that they serve. This keeps the staff informed about the different resources available in the community and enables them to network to better serve the community's individuals. The branch staff regularly liaises with community groups to network, to keep in touch with what is happening in the community, to be a partner in community development issues, and to promote library services.

Aboriginal protocol workshops are also held for staff to create awareness and an understanding of the First Nations traditions and culture.

Collection

Albert provides a collection of adult and juvenile items focusing on Aboriginal peoples. Although some of the Aboriginal titles are duplicated in other locations of the library system, it is only at Albert that they are identified and shelved together as an Aboriginal collection. The Aboriginal collection includes fiction and non-fiction titles, picture books, periodicals, Cree language material, and audio and video materials. The Cree language material is suitable in content and format for all age groups, as many adult patrons wish to learn or re-learn their ancestral language. Albert's extensive Aboriginal collection has become a resource used by patrons across the city.

In addition to the Aboriginal collection, Albert also has a regular collection, which features current, high demand, high interest materials in paperback for both adult and juvenile clients.

Programming

Albert Library offers programs for children, adults and young adults with an emphasis on the Aboriginal culture.

Children's Programs:

Albert concentrates on children's programming for school aged children because of the large number of children who visit the branch on a daily basis after school. Programming that appeals to school age encourages this age group to become regular library users, thus having the potential to instill the love of books.

Approximately 20 Preschool Story time Programs are offered each week. All the community schools in North Central, childcare centres and the Aboriginal Head Start program are invited to attend the program. The Preschool Story time programs are taken out to four community elementary schools that are too far for small children to walk to the library. This creates an opportunity to promote upcoming library programs, hand out branch calendars, distribute application forms for library cards, and to inform teachers of the services the library offers.

Other programs include puppet shows, which are taken to all five community schools every year, in June, face painting for children and adults at Halloween offered in partnership with the Street Cultural Kidz Project, and movies. The number one comment made by parents, about the movie program, is that they are happy to "have a safe place to watch recent releases" with or for their children when they are on a limited budget.

Adult Programming:

Adult crafts programs are very popular and well attended. The library has constant demand for these programs.

Albert Library networks and partners with all the teachers in community schools in North Central. Teachers in the six schools in North Central are invited to a Teacher's Open House , held annually in the fall. The Open House includes a tour of the library and information about the services offered to schools by the library.

Aboriginal Content:

Albert Library has an Aboriginal Elder who provides cultural direction and advice.

Albert Library's main focus is to create programming that develops knowledge and understanding of the diverse cultural groups in Regina, while highlighting the Aboriginal culture. Programs deal with culture, traditions, and current issues. These include an annual children's Christmas feast, beadwork classes, dreamcatcher programs, Cree language classes, storytelling, pow wow dance classes, how to make bannock, Aboriginal author readings, incorporation of First Nation stories in the puppet shows at the branch, classes on how to make Inuit moccasins, mitts and vests, and programs on cultural awareness.

The 2002 annual Children's Christmas Feast was an enormous success. The Library had 139 people attending. This is by far our most successful program. The library will need to partner with another community agency next year, for our large program room is now too small. Because this was a traditional feast, Elders were consulted to ensure protocol was followed.

The branch hosted a video project for ten students from the local high school with a well-known Aboriginal film producer, Alanis Obomsawin. The students produced a short horror movie called "Library 13."

Literacy Programming:

Because of the low literacy skills in the area, Albert Library offers literacy programs such as the Community Stories program. The Community Stories program offered in partnership with the Regina Fire Department is taken to the five elementary schools in North Central. Four Firefighters and a Branch Library Assistant read stories to children in grades 1 to 3. The Library Assistant presented an in-service workshop to the fire fighters in the four fire stations in the Albert area. The workshops included a discussion of the literacy needs of children and a presentation on how to conduct an interactive reading program for early elementary students.

Albert Library is a partner in the Sowing the Seed: a Family Literacy Project. This program is a vehicle to bring parents into the school and teach them to read, work and play with their children based on the belief that having parents come into the school to learn with their children will ultimately lead these children to become more successful in learning. The program is incorporated within the Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classes. The Albert Library staff member facilitates a "Come Read With Me" story hour/library visit with the parents and children of these classes once a month. This allows for the staff member to show parents how to read with their children. This is followed by an inexpensive craft and library visit for families to pick out their own books to read at home. To aid the parents at home, they are given a list of books used in the storytime; a supplies list from the craft that was done that day; and a family literacy tip to incorporate in their everyday reading experiences. The program hopes to give parents the tools to develop reading practices within the home and give their children the tools for a successful future. Currently this project is active in one community school; next year it will be extended to include an additional community school.

Conclusion

Saskatchewan has taken many steps to improve library services for Aboriginal peoples. The Library Services for Saskatchewan's Aboriginal Peoples Committee continues to be a major force to increase awareness of the difficulties of providing library services to the Aboriginal community. The Minister's Advisory Committee report, Information is for Everyone provides a framework to address library services for Aboriginal peoples. Some of the report's recommendations have already been addressed. The Provincial Government has increased the Provincial library budget to deliver improved library services to First Nations and Métis peoples.

The Albert Library of the Regina Public Library is one example of how a library can bring effective library service to an Aboriginal community. Through outreach programs, partnerships with the community and involvement on local committees, the library is a vital part of the community it serves.

Albert Library strives to remain an informational and cultural resource that is an essential asset to the community. The branch's focus is to have more parent and caregivers become involved in the library. Staff feels that once a person visits the branch, s/he will notice that Albert Library is much more than a book depository.

Mr. Sandy Cameron, who was a member of the Albert Library Committee from its inception once stated "Albert Library is not special, we are a model of how any branch library should operate."

It is the community that gives the Albert Library its direction on how to best serve its residents, and this is what the Albert Branch strives to accomplish.

Chief Harry Lafond, from the Muskeg Lake Band said it best when he said: Native people are beginning to forget about their past. We need libraries to provide information about the past and present of all aspects of Indian life, and to replace the lost custom of storytelling and telling of exploits at the council fire, and so forth. The formal school system may not teach the Native person what he needs to know about himself; his treaty rights, his unique constitutional positions in Canada, and his history. There is a movement among Native people to become more aware of their past, their heritage and in the revival of arts and crafts, dances, legends, and their languages. Libraries are tools which Native people can use to help change their conditions where desirable and to maintain and strengthen their cultural resources. Libraries have the potential to empower people.

Appendix 1

© 2002 Wendy Sinclair-Sparvier

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