Truth & Reconciliation at WMRL

The Western Manitoba Regional Library is seeking to become more involved in Truth and Reconciliation, specifically by providing relevant and valuable resources and services as well as allyship to our Indigenous patrons and Indigenous communities in general.

Some steps that the Library has taken in our reconciliation journey so far include:

Creation of an ongoing Indigenous Author/Storyteller series

We began an Indigenous Author/Storyteller series in Spring 2021. This series of public programs are free to the public and open to all. Our programs are planned seasonally, so each season we will host a different Indigenous author or storyteller.

So far, our guests have included Michael Kusugak (presented in April 2021), Harold R. Johnson (presented on September 11, 2021) and Richard Van Camp (presented on November 13, 2021). The focus of these author/storyteller visits is to promote literature by Indigenous authors, share about Indigenous culture and history, and bring awareness to issues facing Indigenous peoples. The Library is committed to fairly compensating these authors/storytellers for their work and time.

Hosting Truth and Reconciliation programs & events

The Library’s programming team is researching opportunities for the WMRL to host Truth & Reconciliation programs and events and make them accessible to our patrons and general public on a regular basis. In May 2021, the Library hosted a virtual KAIROs Blanket Exercise led by a team of Indigenous facilitators from across Canada. The aim of the Blanket Exercise is to explore the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples and touches on difficult life experiences for Indigenous peoples including treaty-making, colonization, residential schools, and more. The WMRL was able to offer this program at no charge to attendees.

Collection Development:

The Library has ensured that subject headings use correct and up-to-date terminology (i.e. change of subject from “Indian” to “Indigenous”), following Library Archives Canada guidelines.

The WMRL’s online catalogue features a link to Indigenous Collections that is then broken down into various topics such as “language,” “residential schools,” “treaties,” and more in order to make these resources easily searchable and accessible.

Technical Services staff members are building our collections, both physical and digital, of Indigenous/Truth & Reconciliation materials.

We are also building a collection of Cree language books for children.

eLibraries Manitoba

To view electronic resources such as books and audiobooks in eLibraries Manitoba, these links will make your search easier:

#EveryChildMatters | Main | eLibraries Manitoba

#EveryChildMatters | Teens | eLibraries Manitoba

#EveryChildMatters | Kids | eLibraries Manitoba

National Truth and Reconciliation Day – September 30th:

All branches of the WMRL will close on September 30th each year to recognize the history and trauma caused by the residential schools.