Home / Youth Services / Outreach & Family Engagement / Indigenous Idaho

October 1 -31, 2024

 – a continuing education course for Idaho library staff –

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. The 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, 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, paired with four online, live meetings for discussions and local presenters. The live webinars will be co-facilitated by Kristina Taylor and Mandi Harris.

Registration: September 3 – September 30 (space for 30 participants)

Course Start Date (Niche Academy modules become available): October 1

Virtual Course Info Session (to answer registered participant questions about course navigation/details): October 1st from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Mtn) via Zoom

Course Timeframe: October  1 – October 31

Webinars: Weekly live, webinars/presentations are a part of this course and will occur on the following dates (Tentative):

• Tuesday, October 8, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Mtn)
• Wednesday, October 16, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Mtn)
• Tuesday, October 22, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Mtn)
• Wednesday, October 30, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Mtn)

(Note, it is best for participants to be able to attend all 4 live webinars, but we understand that 100% attendance may not be possible and encourage potential participants to still register if they can make the majority of the webinars and watch the presentation recordings afterwards – see details below.)

Presenters are being determined now, but here are some examples of past course presenters to give you an idea:

• Daniele Scott (Nez Perce/Spokane Tribe): Customized 4-H curriculum to incorporate Nez Perce language and history

• Dr. Chris Meyer (Coeur d’Alene Tribe), Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s Summer Youth Internship & Voices to Hear podcast project

• Jessica Matsaw (Shoshone-Bannock Tribes), Summer Youth River Program down the Middle Fork of the Salmon, ancestral homelands of the Shoshone Sheepeaters, sharing STEAM and Indigenous traditional knowledge

• Harry Slickpoo Jr. (Nez Perce Tribe), Wetxuuwiitin Collection and the Nimiipuu language QR Code Project

• To increase understanding by Idaho library staff of the world’s Indigenous cultures, both historic and current, with an emphasis on the five federally recognized tribes located in present-day Idaho.
• To foster and increase relationships and partnerships between Idaho libraries and Idaho tribes and Indigenous peoples.
• To create Idaho library services, materials, and programs that are high-quality, relevant, and accurate regarding Native peoples, cultures, and histories.
• To improve library communication, promotion, membership, and outreach efforts with members of Idaho’s tribes and other organizations that serve native peoples.

• Participants are encouraged to commit to attending all four live webinars, to be held weekly between Oct 1 – Oct 31. Please mark off and set aside time on your work calendars for the live webinars as soon as you register for the course and the final dates/times are provided. Attending the live webinars is an important part of the course.
• Live presenters during webinars will be recorded. Open discussion amongst participants after the presentations during the webinars, will NOT be recorded.
• This fourth round of the course is limited to 30 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Priority will be given to Idaho library staff currently working in an Idaho public, school, or tribal library. (NOTE: This  course is only offered once per fiscal year. The next course will be offered in Fall of 2025.)
• Participants who complete the course will receive 10 new hardcover books for their library collection written and/illustrated by Indigenous authors/artists. Up to 2 library staff from the same library/branch may register for the course. If more than one staff member from the same library completes the course, the library will only receive 1 set of these books. Books will be for a range of ages – children through young adult and can be customized for each library.
• The course should take approximately 3-4 hours of your time per week, for 4 weeks. The 4 modules in Niche Academy can be completed in 2-3 hours each (though you could spend much more time exploring linked resources) and the webinars are 1 hour each week.
• It is recommended that one module is completed each week of the course, in the week prior to the presentation/webinar (i.e. Participants are encouraged to complete Module 1 from Oct. 1-7, in preparation for the live presentation/webinar and discussion on Oct. 8.)
• Registration open: September 3 – September 30 (or until 30 spots are filled)
• Registration is now open!

September 3 – September 30, 2024 (or until filled)

Questions? Contact Kristina Taylor, Outreach & Community Engagement Consultant.