Lotsee Patterson facts for kids
Lotsee Patterson (born in 1931) is a Comanche librarian and teacher. She started the American Indian Library Association. Lotsee has written many articles about libraries, especially for Native American communities. She became interested in collecting Native American items because her mom worked with collections. She is now a retired professor from the University of Oklahoma.
Growing Up and Learning
Lotsee Patterson was born in 1931. She grew up in southwestern Oklahoma. Her home was on Native American land near a town called Apache, Oklahoma.
She began her career as a teacher in 1959. Her first school, Boone School, was a small public school with no library. She also taught at Riverside Indian School. These experiences made her want to help Native Americans get good libraries. She wanted to create libraries in tribal communities across the country.
Lotsee went to the Oklahoma College for Women. She earned her first degree in 1959. Later, she got her Masters in Library Science from the University of Oklahoma in 1969. In 1979, she finished her Ph.D. there too. During her studies, she worked to find money. This money would help train librarians to work with Native American students. It also helped choose high-quality Native American books and materials.
Helping Libraries Grow
After her Masters degree, Lotsee worked in several libraries. She worked at Riverside Indian School and for Norman Public Schools. She also directed library services for Oklahoma City Public Schools. She is now a Professor Emeritus at the University of Oklahoma. Before that, she taught at the University of New Mexico and Texas Woman's University.
In 2009, Lotsee was on the board for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. This group gives advice to the Institute of Museum and Library Services. In 2015, she was on the Board of Trustees for Comanche Nation College.
In the 1970s, Lotsee helped create a group. This group is now called the American Indian Library Association. She wrote many important requests for money (grants). These grants helped improve libraries for Native American nations. One grant helped train teachers' aides from Bureau of Indian Affairs schools to become librarians. By 1973, she had already set up eight community libraries in different pueblos.
Lotsee also helped lead a committee. This committee wrote a report in 1992. The report was called Pathways to Excellence. It focused on making library services better for Native American people.
She has also been part of the International Indigenous Librarians' Forum. She served on many other committees too. She has advised many archives and museums across the country. This includes being a senior advisor to the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian.
Lotsee's life work has focused on a few key things. She helps Native Americans become librarians. She works to get money to create and improve libraries in Native schools. And she teaches students about librarianship.
Awards and Recognition
Lotsee Patterson has received many honors for her important work:
- 1991 – Award of Appreciation from the National Congress of American Indians
- 1994 – American Library Association Equality Award
- 1996 – United States National Commission on Libraries and Information Science Silver Award
- 1997 – Distinguished Service Award from Oklahoma Library Association
- 2001 – Beta Phi Mu Award for great service to library education
- 2003 – American Indian Library Association Honoring Our Elders Distinguished Service Award
- 2005 – American Library Association Honorary Membership
- 2007 – Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, & Museums
