By Dan Galway
This summer at the Ponoka Jubilee Library, we will be showcasing our new Indigenous Stories Collection.
This collection focuses on Indigenous storytelling and history through a variety of non-fiction and fiction books as well as documentary and narrative films. We are privileged to make these materials available to the residents of the town and county of Ponoka and will be displaying these materials prominently at the entrance to the library.
Given the current social and political climate relating to the issues Indigenous people in Canada are facing, it is important to ensure that our public institutions (and especially our libraries) are striving towards creating collections that adequately and accurately reflect Indigenous voices. Particularly important is the need for non-Indigenous Canadians to educate themselves on both historical and current issues facing Indigenous people and their communities.
This is very much in line with the recommendations put forth in the 2016 report on the Truth and Reconciliation Committee’s findings, specifically concerning education: in order to truly understand our communities, non-Indigenous people must listen with open ears to the experiences and viewpoints of Indigenous voices.
This is part of the impetus behind creating this collection for the patrons of the Ponoka Jubilee Library. Creating representative collections is a part of our organizational philosophy as well as an important measure in creating inclusive communities though library service.
This collection was established with assistance from Parkland Regional Library using the First Nations grant awarded to regional library systems by the Government of Alberta in 2016.
Additionally, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the Ponoka Lions Club for their generous donation of $1,000, which will be used to purchase audio books for our hearing-impaired patrons. This donation will go a long way towards purchasing new and interesting materials for the Ponoka Jubilee Library.
Coming up this month at the Ponoka Jubilee Library we have our regular set of programs for the month. Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances, we have had to cancel our ‘Life Stories’ program for the month of May.
Come to the library for a copy of our program schedule or check us out on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates related to community and library related events.