Spring CE 2024

Agenda

Thank you for joining us today! Please take a moment to read our Land Acknowledgement, and check out these additional resources to learn more about the history of the land around us:

Native Land Digital – Look up your location; links will appear with different nation names. By clicking on those links, you will be taken to a page specifically about that nation, language, or treaty, where you can view some sources, give feedback, and learn a little more.

Seneca Nation – The Seneca were the largest of six Native American nations which comprised the Iroquois Confederacy or Six Nations, a democratic government that pre-dates the United States Constitution. The historical Seneca occupied territory throughout the Finger Lakes area in Central New York, and in the Genesee Valley in Western New York. Today the Seneca Nation currently has a total enrolled population of over 8,000 citizens.

Haudenosaunee Confederacy – The confederacy was founded by the prophet known as the Peacemaker with the help of Aionwatha, more commonly known as Hiawatha. The confederacy, made up of the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas was intended as a way to unite the nations and create a peaceful means of decision making. Through the confederacy, each of the nations of the Haudenosaunee are united by a common goal to live in harmony.

American Indian Library Association – AILA was founded in 1979 in conjunction with the White House Pre-Conference on Indian Library and Information Services on or near Reservations. At the time, there was increasing awareness that library services for Native Americans were inadequate. An affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA), the American Indian Library Association is a membership action group that addresses the library-related needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives.

STLS Sustainability Statement

On May 14th, 2019, the American Library Association announced that sustainability would be added as a core value of librarianship, and libraries were highlighted for the important and unique role they play in promoting community awareness about resilience, climate change, and a sustainable future.  

At STLS, we recognize the need for change and the opportunity that libraries have to be leaders by setting an example for sustainable practices in our communities. We joined the Sustainable Libraries Initiative in 2023 and will spend the next few years working to complete the Sustainable Library Certification Program. This program provides a path forward to nurture libraries and communities that are more environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically feasible. We are excited to begin this important work and look forward to sharing our progress. 

As we look to the future, we find motivation in the American Library Association’s Sustainability in Libraries Call to Action, “Facing the realities of climate change and acting with purpose is the responsibility of all library stakeholders, in our personal lives and at work. From the inside out, our libraries should reflect a commitment to sustainability as a core value.” Together we can make a difference.  

Follow-up Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SpringCE2024