Describe Project and Impact:
Create an online database of Native American languages and learning materials to help to preserve the languages and reach a community that has historically been vastly underserved.
Project Description and Expected Outcomes:
This project would create an online database or repository that would allow for centralized and broader access to Native American languages. The database would consist of scanned or online versions of language dictionaries, language lessons, videos, sound files, and other relevant documents to not only preserve these languages, but to also create a resource for those individuals that are trying to learn the language. Also if the database was opened up to “donations” of sound recordings too (for instance having recorded songs or conversations spoken by elders or fluent individuals), it could easily become a priceless resource archive.
This project could have a great impact on the preservation of these endangered languages. More so, this creates a great opportunity to not only work with Tribal Nations across our state that have language resources available, but also to reach those tribal nations that do not have the funds or ability to create their own online resources for their tribal members. As Native Americans are one of the most underserved populations, this service could provide a great way to reach this community.
Finally, this project also opens up the opportunity to tie in educational programs throughout our libraries, it could become a resource that could be used statewide, and could even lead to publishing opportunities like children’s books and language workbooks.
Why should we select this project?:
Since Oklahoma has one of the highest concentrations of Native American tribes (39 separate nations), it behooves all public libraries in the state to make sure that they are serving this member base which makes up at least 9.1% of Oklahoma’s population (the second largest minority group in the state) based on the latest census reports. Native Americans have been historically underserved in libraries and many tribes do not have the resources to create their own tribal libraries, which leaves their members to look to public libraries for their information needs. More than this, “urban Indians” who live in major cities instead of on their reservations or tribal lands, are often cut off from tribal resources due to distance. By offering resources that specifically target this member base, we can not only create a link with these members that ties to their cultures, but they would then be more comfortable using our other library services too. This would directly impact member penetration and retention. Also, since the Metropolitan Library System, and specifically the Downtown Library, already hosts a collection of historically significant materials that relates to Oklahoma, adding Native languages would be an easy expansion of this.
Constraints, Limitations, or Dependencies:
The largest constraint on this project will be tribal approval. While some tribes are open to anyone learning their languages, others are not as open. Before uploading any files from the tribal nations, permission would need to be given for use and dissemination of materials to avoid cultural appropriation.
Partner/Supporting Departments:
Digital Library
Public Services
Other Indicator:
One possible performance indicator would be the amount of hits or uses that the database received. Another indicator would be the amount of growth that the database showed as this would indicate the growth of partnerships with more tribes.
