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Lotsee Patterson became one of two 2005 ALA honorary members at the American Library Association's annual conference in June 2005. The award recognizes her outstanding contribution of lasting importance to libraries and librarianship. Described as one of the most outspoken advocates for equitable library services for American Indians in the history of this country, Patterson set the groundwork for the establishment of tribal libraries across the nation and cofounded the American Indian Library Association. Her other activities include establishing the International Indigenous Librarians forum, serving as an expert witness to commissions and select committees, and acting as senior advisor to the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. In 2003, she was the first recipient of the AILA/ALA Honoring Our Elders Distinguished Service Award. Patterson is a member of the NLS Library Service to Native Americans committee and was a speaker at the 1994 National Conference of Librarians serving Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals in Denver, Colorado.
The Cataloging Policy and Support Office (CPSO) of the Library of Congress has recently determined that names of Indian tribes recognized by the U.S. government as legal entities will be tagged by geographic names in the name authority records rather than by corporate name, as they were previously tagged. The change follows the guidance provided in Rule 21.35 of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, second edition, (AACR2) regarding the treatment of tribal entities as national governments. For details see www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/tribes.html.
Native America Calling is a daily one-hour live call-in program linking public radio stations, the Internet, and listeners for discussion of issues specific to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The program, which is patterned after National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation, celebrated its tenth year on the air in spring of 2005. Its coverage ranges from reservation life to global affairs and it provides a forum for guest experts to define issues affecting Native communities. Listeners are invited to call in and comment. Native America Calling is heard on more than thirty stations in the United States and Canada by more than thirty-seven thousand listeners each week. The program airs live Monday through Friday, 1:00 2:00 p.m. EST. For more information write to Native America Calling, P.O. Box 40164, Albuquerque, NM 87196, (505) 277-7999, www.nativeamericacalling.com.
A factsheet, How Do I Trace Indian Ancestry?, is available online through the U. S. Department of the Interior web site, www.doi.gov/ancestry.html. It lists resources and links to help individuals interested in tracing ancestry in a federally recognized American Indian tribe.
In June 2005, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded more than $1.3 million in federal grants to improve library service for Native Americans. There were 229 grants to 237 Native American tribal communities and Alaska Native villages to support and strengthen general operations and core library services. Go to link www.imls.gov for more information.
Updated 2005-12-15