The following is the full text of the June Project Profile from the
federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Web site.  See
the HTML version at http://www.imls.gov/profiles/Jun08.shtm. 


Tribal Cultural Preservation at the Heart of Three-Year Conference
Project

Through a series of national conferences, institutes, and workshops,
Native American archivists, librarians, cultural directors, educators,
museum staff members, and elders are creating communities to support
tribal cultural preservation. The project was funded, in part, by a
three-year grant to the Western Council of State Libraries from the
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under its Laura Bush
21st Century Librarian program.

"Many tribal cultural centers include museums, libraries, and archives,
with the work of staff and volunteers frequently overlapping in all
three areas," said Susan Feller, project and conference director,
development officer for the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, and a
person of Choctaw descent. "The conference strives to provide practical
approaches, as well as abundant take-home materials, that are useful to
both professional and non-professional staff."

"I'm passionate about these conferences and extremely proud that
Oklahoma has taken a lead role," said Lotsee Patterson, PhD, professor
in the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of
Oklahoma, a member of the Comanche Nation, and a member of the National
Museum and Library Services Board, the IMLS's advisory body. "These
conferences and meetings are so important because they bring together
people who have no other opportunity to get together to talk of issues
of mutual concern, to network, and to learn from each other what works.
So many of these people are working alone and these conferences give
them the confidence that what they're doing is important and that
they're making a difference. It also provides federal recognition that
what they're doing is important."

In 2007, 560 individuals from 46 states, 3 Canadian provinces, and 203
tribes gathered in Oklahoma City October 22-25, 2007, for the national
conference, which built on two previous IMLS-funded conferences that
were held in Arizona in 2003 and 2005.

Conference organizers encouraged collaboration among tribal entities and
non-tribal institutions; presented contemporary issues related to the
development of tribal libraries, archives, and museums; and provided an
opportunity for institutions and individuals to network and build
support for tribal cultural institutions and programs.

"The 2007 conference was unlike any other I have ever experienced, with
such warmth from the people and a real desire to soak up information.
Many valuable connections were made. Conference attendees have indicated
that the networking opportunities were as important as the educational
content," Feller said, noting that she and other conference organizers
built sustaining revenue streams from exhibitors, advertisers, and
sponsors.

"The 2007 National Conference of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums
was a watershed event," said Loriene Roy, President of the American
Library Association, professor at the University of Texas at Austin's
School of Information, and a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. "It
provided tribal library, museum and archive staff with the rare
opportunity to meet and communicate with each other, to share their
plans, dreams, and daily experiences, and to provide the promise of
meeting together in the future."

This year, the Oklahoma Department of Libraries is hosting the 2008
National Institutes for Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums with
one-day pre and post-conference workshops in April, July, August, and
October at the Cherokee Casino and Resort in Catoosa (Tulsa), Oklahoma.
The Institutes provide information and hands-on instruction regarding
the care and management of archival, library, and museum collections,
with emphasis placed on the special considerations involved in American
Indian materials. Topics include:

* How to Recognize and Prevent Threats to Your Collection (April 14)
* Skills and Strategies for Managing Tribal Records (April 15-17)
* Field Trips to Museums with Major American Indian Collections (July
14)
* Displaying and Caring for American Indian Objects (July 15-17)
* Digitization Projects: From Planning to Implementation (August 11)
* Collection, Use, and Care of Historic Photographs (August 12-14)
* Training for American Indian Library Services (October 21-23)
* Building and Managing Culturally Responsive Library Collections and
Programs (October 24)

"I am excited about the Institutes because they focus on one discipline
for three days. This provides participants with a more in-depth approach
to specific topics of interest, taught by instructors who are top in
their field," Feller said. The 2008 Institutes are receiving scholarship
support drawn from funding through "Oklahoma Tribal Heritage," a
$218,369 grant from the National Historical Publications and Records
Commission (NHPRC), part of the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA).

The last planned conference will take place Oct. 18-22, 2009, in
Portland, Oregon.

"Where do we go after Oregon?" Feller and Patterson both asked. "One
possible solution is to form a national organization that will be
responsible for planning and implementing the conferences. In June, we
will conduct a national survey of tribal archives, museums, libraries,
and cultural centers to see if there is interest in belonging to an
association that will provide support for the conferences, as well as
help address other needs of tribal cultural centers," Feller said. "It
is envisioned that the new organization will work in partnership with
the First Archivists Circle, the American Indian Library Association,
and the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers,"
Feller continued.

The conferences have offered IMLS a great opportunity to get the word
out about grant opportunities, according to IMLS Deputy Director for
Libraries Mary Chute and Senior Program Officers Alison Freese and
Sandra Narva. At last year's conference, they made presentations on the
Native American Library Services Basic Grants, Native American Library
Services Basic Grants with Educational/Assessment Option, the Native
American Library Services Enhancement Grants, the Native Hawaiian
Library Services grants, and the Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum
Services grants.

All recipients of the IMLS tribal library and tribal museum grants were
included in the conference mailings and Basic Library grantees could use
their Education/Assessment Option funds to travel to the conference.
Thirty Library Enhancement grantees gave poster presentations, which was
a wonderful opportunity to share models and best practices, Freese
noted.

"It is gratifying to me when I receive phone calls and emails from
conference attendees expressing their appreciation. The conferences and
institutes are viewed by many as an important vehicle in preserving
tribal culture," Feller said. "The conferences and institutes hold
significant value because they are planned and presented by people who
understand the sometimes unique and specific needs of tribal archives,
libraries, and museums. I'm especially grateful for the guidance of the
National Envisioning Committee, the Oklahoma Planning Committee, and the
hundreds of presenters who help make the opportunities available."

Recipient: Western Council of State Libraries
Grant: 2006 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program
Web site: www.tribalconference.org 
Project Director: Susan Feller, 405-522-3515,
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IMLS Contact: Jeannine Mjoseth, 202-653-4632, [log in to unmask]

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