Ray and Millie Silver
Aboriginal Library
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Acknowledgement
• We would like to acknowledge that we are
located on the traditional ancestral territory of
the Musqueam First Nation
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Who are we?
• Literacy Matters Abbotsford is the community
task group responsible for developing and
implementing Abbotsford’s Community
Literacy Plan
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Membership
• LMA membership includes the following constituencies:
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University of the Fraser Valley
Fraser Valley Regional Library
Abbotsford School District
Abbotsford Community Services
West Abbotsford Community School Society
Central Abbotsford Community School Society
Fraser Valley Metis Association
Abbotsford Women’s Business Association
Hand in Hand Daycare
Children First/Abbotsford Early Childhood Committee
Fraser Valley Child Development Centre
Community members
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
What are our goals?
• LMA has committed to the development of
programs, services, and initiatives to support
literacy in the following areas:
– Adult Literacy
– Aboriginal Literacy
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Tables
• LMA has two formal table groups that meet
outside of the LMA task group
– Adult Table
– Aboriginal Table
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Adult Table
• Membership includes
– Elizabeth Fry Society
– Abbotsford Community Services
– Fraser Valley Regional Library
– University of the Fraser Valley
– New Beginnings
– Abbotsford School District
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Aboriginal Table
• Membership includes
– Abbotsford School District
– Community Aboriginal Centre
– Fraser Valley Metis Association
– Hand in Hand Daycare
– Success by Six
– Reading Buddies Coordinator
– Fraser Valley Regional Library
– Community Member
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Call to Action
• Aboriginal table identified a need to increase
the literacy potential of Aboriginal families in
the community
– Reading Buddies was identified as a possible
initiative that could be beneficial in increasing the
literacy rates of Aboriginal youth in the
community
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Assessment of Assets
• Further investigation identified gaps in Library
usage in the community
• 2 Aboriginal families identified as using Fraser
Valley Library services
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Inquiry Question
• How can the Aboriginal table increase the
number of Aboriginal families utilizing library
services in Abbotsford?
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Action
• What if we created an Aboriginal community
library at the Community Aboriginal Centre?
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
First Steps
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Sharing the Possibility
• Proposal was taken to the LMA Task Group to
ask for support
– Support in the amount of $20,000 was granted to
the Aboriginal table to proceed with the building
of a community Aboriginal library
– Raise a Reader funding was allocated to purchase
book resources for the holdings
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
The Room
• Old woodshop at the Community Aboriginal
Centre (Abbotsford School District)
– Floors, walls, and electrical work needed
– Shelving and furniture needed
– Mural to be painted on walls above shelving
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
The Resources
• Purchase of books
• Identification of cataloguing system
– People to catalogue books
– Online database
• Lending system
• Shelving
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Books
• Books from Community Aboriginal Centre
included in the holdings
• Books purchased from United Library Services
and Strong Nations
• Donations from the community
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Processing
• UFV practicum students
– Work with Smitty Miller (FVRL) to identify
cataloguing system and database
• Brian Deer Classification System
• Library Thing
– Holdings classified, labeled, and shelved by
practicum students
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Lending
• No library cards
• 4 week lending period
• Sign out sheet
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
The Result
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Mural
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford
Next Steps
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Additional Titles
Library programs
Reading Buddies?
Library Technician?
Stickers in the books
Corporate sponsorship
Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford