CE NEWS

November 5, 2021

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

November is Native American Heritage Month and Alaska Native Heritage Month

• American Indian Library Associations
• Scholarship Opportunities for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian College Students
• American Indian Children's Literature

American Indian Library Associations

American Indian Library Association (AILA)
A “membership action group that works to improve library and information services for American Indians and Alaska Natives.”

Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, & Museums (ATALM)
An “international non-profit organization that maintains a network of support for indigenous programs, provides culturally relevant programming and services, encourages collaboration among tribal and non-tribal cultural institutions, and articulates contemporary issues related to developing and sustaining the cultural sovereignty of Native Nations.”

Alaska Native Issues Roundtable (Alaska Library Association)
“Fosters and promulgates culturally appropriate library philosophies and practices to better serve Alaska Native library users and communities in the development of services, collections, programs, staff, and overall library environment. Serves as a forum for librarians and library staff who are interested in raising awareness of Alaska Native issues and concerns with the library community and act as advocates for them. Develops AkLA programs germane to Alaska Native library issues, including annual conference and preconference programs and Continuing Education courses.”

Scholarship Opportunities for American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian College Students

AkLA’s General Graduate Library Studies Scholarship
Provides financial assistance in the amount of $4,000 to students pursuing graduate studies leading to a MLIS and encourages graduates to return to Alaska to work in professional library positions. Scholarships may be awarded for both on-campus and/or distance education programs. Preference will be given to an individual meeting the federal definition of Alaska Native ethnicity. Deadline to apply is January 15, 2022.

School Library Media Specialist/School Librarian Jo Morse Scholarship
Provides financial assistance in the amount of $4,000 to students pursuing graduate studies leading to a library media specialist/school librarian certificate and to encourage graduates to return to Alaska to work in professional school library positions. Scholarships may be awarded for both on-campus and/or distance education programs. Preference will be given to an individual meeting the federal definition of Alaska Native ethnicity. Deadline to apply is January 15, 2022.

ALA’s Spectrum Scholarship
Provides a scholarship in the amount of $6,500 ($5,000 to assist with education costs and $1,500 to attend the Spectrum Leadership Institute.)  American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern and North African, and/or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander college students enrolled in an ALA accredited library and information graduate degree program are eligible to apply. Deadline to apply is March 1, 2022.

The Mosaic Scholarship
Provides financial assistance in the amount of $5,000 and “mentoring support to students of color pursuing graduate education in archival science, encourages students to pursue a career as an archivist, and promotes the diversification of the American archives profession.” Deadline to apply is February 28, 2022.

Bridging Knowledge: Supporting Indigenous Scholars in the Field of Librarianship
Will provide financial and scaffolded student support to 15 American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian graduate students to earn a fully online Master of Library and Information degree and an advance certificate in strategic management of digital assets and services through San José State University, School of Information. Deadline to apply November 15, 2021.

American Indian Children's Literature

American Indians in Children’s Literature (AICL)
“Established in 2006 by Dr. Debbie Reese of Nambe Pueblo, AICL provides analysis of Indigenous peoples in children’s and young adult books.” In 2010, AICL begin offering a recommended list of the best books with American Indian content. View AICL’s Best Books of 2020.

Native American and Indigenous Series
“The Dakota County Library is hosting a live virtual program with Dr. Debbie Reese as part of their upcoming series. Dr. Reese’s live virtual presentation will be entitled 'American Indians in Books for Children and Teens' scheduled for Monday, November 8 at 4 pm (Alaska Time) Registration is open now.

AILA American Indian Youth Literature Award
Identifies and honors the very best writing and illustrations by Native Americans and Indigenous peoples of North America. Books selected to receive the award present Indigenous North American peoples in the fullness of their humanity. 

AILA Read Native Challenge
“During 2021, the American Indian Library Association has invited readers to participate in the Read Native reading challenge. The goal of the challenge is to support Indigenous authors, scientists, legislators, storytellers, and creators throughout the year, not just during the national Native American Heritage month.”

#NativeReads Great Books from Indigenous Communities
First Nations Indigenous reading campaign called #NativeReads honors and celebrates Indigenous writers from a specific tribe or region. For the 2020 #NativeReads, First Nations partnered with the Oak Lake Writers Society to increase knowledge of and appreciation for Oceti Sakowin (Dakota, Lakota and Nakota) literatures.

#NativeReads Call To Action

• Read One or All of the Selected Books
• Decolonize Your Bookshelf
• Start a Book Club Featuring Indigenous Authors
• Increase Access to Books by Native Writers
• Engage in Independent Bookstores
• Read Books by Native Writers to Youth
• Invest in Native People Telling Their Own Stories