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Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, & Museums facts for kids
The Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, & Museums (ATALM) is an organization that helps cultural groups around the world. It especially focuses on supporting indigenous peoples in the United States, which means Native American communities. ATALM is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It works closely with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which is located in Washington, D.C.. ATALM also connects with many other library, museum, and cultural groups. These include the National Museum of the American Indian and the Library of Congress. The organization gets most of its money from grants provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and other partners.
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What ATALM Does
ATALM was officially started in 2010. Its work began with a big meeting in 2002 in Mesa, Arizona. More meetings happened in the years leading up to 2010. The first money for ATALM came from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and other groups.
ATALM helps Native American archives, libraries, and museums. It does this by creating programs, working together with others, and speaking up for these groups. ATALM wants to make sure that Native American nations can keep their own historical documents, special items, and stories safe. These places are often called "tribal memory institutions."
Who Is Part of ATALM?
ATALM is made up of many tribal memory institutions. It tries to include people from many different Native American nations. This helps make sure the organization stays connected to Native cultures. It also helps keep a Native American point of view.
ATALM has a board and an advisory council. These groups guide the organization. The people on the board and council come from many different tribal nations. They have lots of experience with libraries, museums, and archives.
Planning for the Future
ATALM has a special committee that plans for the future. This committee helps guide the organization and listens to what its members need. The committee works to get money and create lasting ways to offer programs, support, and training. ATALM wants to grow and keep helping tribal memory institutions for a long time.
Helping and Understanding Needs
A main goal of ATALM is to support tribal archives, libraries, and museums. It also supports the idea of "cultural sovereignty" for Native Nations. This means Native Nations should have the power to control their own culture and heritage.
ATALM holds regular meetings about managing Native American knowledge. It also studies how tribal libraries deal with the "digital divide." The digital divide means that some areas have much less access to the internet and technology. ATALM also gathers information through surveys and reports. This helps them understand and serve their members better.
Internet Access for Native Communities
ATALM did a big study on the digital divide in Native American communities. In 2014, they released a long report about it. They also created resources for tribal memory institutions. Getting good internet access is very important for tribal libraries.
Some Native American areas are far away or have rough land, making internet access hard. Many internet companies have not built good internet systems in these areas. They might not think it's worth the investment. Also, internet service in tribal nations is often slow and very expensive. The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) says that less than 10% of tribal land has fast internet. They think the real number might be even lower.
ATALM's report, "Digital Inclusion in Native Communities," was the first to look at internet access in tribal libraries. It shared facts about internet use in tribal libraries and on reservations. It also gave ideas for how to improve access and support these important institutions.
Research and Reports
ATALM regularly conducts surveys and creates reports about tribal memory institutions. Like the "Digital Inclusion in Native Communities" report, these studies use original research. This includes surveys and interviews with people from tribal memory institutions. Many reports also offer advice on how to improve services. They also suggest ways to expand what ATALM offers. ATALM also includes information about the rights of indigenous peoples in its reports.