The Idaho Commission for Libraries is pleased to offer its annual round of the Indigenous Idaho: Future, Past, & Present library staff training course this October! Come learn alongside your library peers about Idaho’s federally recognized tribal nations. Past, present, and future perspectives will be explored. Learn how public and school libraries can partner with, better serve, curate accurate materials, and celebrate Indigenous peoples and cultures in libraries.
This course was created in partnership with Mandi Harris, Cherokee Nation citizen, former Coeur d’Alene Children’s Librarian, current doctoral student at the University of Washington’s iSchool, and recipient of the distinguished Spectrum Doctoral Fellowship “Catalysts for Change.” This free course is four weeks in length and will utilize a blend of independent learning/reading via the ICfL’s Niche Academy platform, paired with four online, live webinars.
The course will run from October 6 – October 31, 2025, with access to the weekly asynchronous course modules in Niche Academy beginning October 1. The weekly live webinars will focus on content discussion and Q & A and will be co-hosted by Mandi Harris & Kristina Taylor. These webinars are not required for course participation but will enhance your learning and understanding of course content. The webinar schedule is as follows:
- Webinar 1- Module #1 Discussion/Q & A: Thursday, October 9
- Webinar 2- Module #2 Discussion/Q & A: Thursday, October 16
- Webinar 3- Module #3 Discussion/Q & A: Thursday, October 23
- Webinar 4- Module #4 Discussion/Q & A: Thursday, October 30
(See the Indigenous Idaho webpage for more details.)
Changes to the course this year:
- The live presentations from Indigenous speakers from Fall 2024 will be incorporated into the Niche Academy modules for viewing this year.
- We will use our live webinars with Mandi Harris to have more time for module Q & A and content discussions.
- An optional 5th webinar will be added to the evening of October 16 with special virtual guest Cynthia Leitich Smith – details coming soon!
We have seats in the course for up to 40 library staff participants. Participants who complete the course will be able to select 10 newly published books by Indigenous authors and/or illustrators from an available titles list for their library collection.
Course registration begins today, September 2, and will remain open until October 5.
Visit the Indigenous Idaho webpage for more information. You will find the registration form button at the bottom of the page.
Questions? Please contact Kristina Taylor
