Tribal College Librarians Institute facts for kids
The Tribal College Librarians Institute (TCLI) is a special week-long program. It helps librarians from tribal colleges learn new skills. These colleges are in the United States and Canada. TCLI usually takes place in Bozeman, Montana.
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How TCLI Started
The idea for TCLI began in 1989. Kathy Kaya, a retired librarian from Montana State University – Bozeman, talked with librarians at Salish Kootenai College. They discussed how there weren't many chances for tribal college librarians to get more training in Montana.
Kathy Kaya decided to help. She worked with the Montana State University Libraries. She also worked with the university's Native American Studies department. Together, they created TCLI. The very first Institute happened in 1990. It was held at Montana State University in Bozeman. Librarians from every tribal college in Montana attended this first event.
Growing and Helping Librarians
TCLI has grown a lot since it started. It used to be a three-day program. Now, it lasts for five days. Today, TCLI is open to all tribal college librarians. It also welcomes tribal college library staff. Any librarian who helps tribal college students can join.
Montana State University Libraries provides money for TCLI. Other groups and government organizations also give grants. Most of the money helps pay for participants' travel. This makes it easier for librarians to attend. Most people who come are from the U.S. However, librarians from New Zealand and Canada have also joined. About 200 different people from 60 colleges have attended TCLI. In total, nearly 500 people have participated over the years.
What Librarians Learn at TCLI
The Institute offers many helpful sessions. Librarians learn about information literacy. This means finding and using information well. They also learn about grant writing. This is how to get money for library projects. Other topics include collection development, which is choosing books and resources.
They also learn about making library rules. Sessions cover digitizing old documents. This means turning them into computer files. Preservation, Web 2.0 tools, and government information are also taught. Librarians get training on using different databases.
Besides library topics, TCLI includes cultural sessions. In recent years, they have learned about the American Indian Movement. They also studied the Navajo Code Talkers. Another session was about Ho-Chunk ethnobotany. This is how Native American people use plants.
Where TCLI Takes Place
TCLI is usually held in Bozeman, Montana. But sometimes, it has been in other places. In 2001, money from the National Agricultural Library helped hold it in Washington, D.C.. In 2006, the National Museum of the American Indian also helped fund a D.C. event.
The TCLI in 2008 was from June 9 to 13. It was back in Bozeman at Montana State University. The main cultural topic that year was native languages. This was because the United Nations called 2008 the International Year of Languages.
TCLI in 2007
In 2007, 38 people from 27 different colleges attended TCLI. Some of the colleges included:
- Blackfeet Community College Library
- College of Menominee Nation Library
- Diné College Libraries
- First Nations University of Canada’s Libraries
- Institute of American Indian Arts Library
- Little Priest Tribal College
- LCO Ojibwa College Community Library
- Salish Kootenai College D'Arcy McNickle Library
- Sitting Bull College Library
- United Tribes Technical College Library
- White Earth Tribal and Community College Library
