Smoke Signals 3
Grand Ronde Tribal Library Is Expanding, Will Soon Be At Capacity
The Tribal Library is growing in the size of its collection, the number of its programs and participation from the community.
FEBRUARY 1, 2006
By Ron Karten
Making paint out of rocks is one
of the things you learn at the Tribal
Library. In fact, there are a few
selected paintings on paper at
tached to the wall above the check
out counter that were made as the
result of a library outing planned to
teach just this skill.
On another wall of the library
are kachina dolls made more than
30 years ago by Southwestern
Tribes. These were contributed
along with some 50-80 other items
in 2002 by the David Marster fam
ily, collectors themselves who
wanted to repatriate items that
belonged with Indians.
Tribal member Willie Mercier
started the library's video collection
when he began buying DVDs to
replace his videos. He donated
more than 100 of the videos to the
library's 400-plus collection.
"It felt right to donate these to the
Tribe for other Tribal members,"
said Willie. "I felt that it was going
to a more worthy cause than if I
had just dropped them off with
Goodwill or the Salvation Army."
Another regular donor to the li
brary is Tribal Council member and
former Librarian himself, Chris
Mercier, who "donated most of the
literature in the library," according
to current Librarian and former
Education Division Manager,
Marion Mercier. He also contrib
uted many of the classic videos in
the library's collection, and all but
two of the library's small (but grow
ing) DVD collection.
"I would like to see the Tribal li
brary become the community li
brary," said Chris Mercier. "Some
books IH probably always keep (at
home) but I'd rather have most of the
books in circulation than have them
on my shelves for my next tea party."
Ronnie Peterson, a bookstore owner
in Vancouver, Washington, who
grew up in Grand Ronde and played
ball with Tribal Elder Chips Tom,
read about the library in Smoke Sig
nals, and started contributing dupli
cate books from his store to the Tribe.
Tribal member Pam Warren also
contributed quite a few books and
her children donated all of their
Walt Disney movies "a really cool
contribution to the library," said
Marion Mercier.
And for those interested in Tribal
publications, the library receives
newspapers from all but two Or
egon Tribes, the Burns-Paiute and
the Cow Creeks. And the Tribal
Public Information office passes
along 11 other Tribal papers from
across the country, though they are
not yet well read by library patrons.
"A few people will look at them,"
said Mercier.
Morrie (Klamath) and Lois Jiminez
donate six magazines monthly to the
library, including Audabon, Con
sumer Reports, Readers' Digest, AARP
and National Wildlife. Morrie has
been involved in Indian education for
more than 30 years, and Lois has
long been involved in library work,
according to Mercier.
"That's major to the library," she
said.
And, said Mercier, "There are
FT
LIBRARY HOURS
Mon. - Wed.: 8 A.M. - 7:30 p.m.
Thurs. & Fri.: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
(closed Friday Noon - 1 p.m.)
Saturday: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
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Tribal member & Tribal Librarian Marion Mercier
quite a few that give a handful of
books or movies quite often."
Between gifts and grants ear
marked for new books (and grants
last year enabled the library to
make three purchases of 50-150
books each time), Mercier said that
the library shelves are likely to be
filled to capacity in the next year,
which is a great success looked at
one way but a troubling merchan
dising picture, looked at another.
Oregon with a complete new com
puter system for patron use. The,
money for these computers comes
from the Gates Foundation.
New programs have played a big
part in the library's growing success.
In addition to last year's Native
Author's presentation, Mercier spon
sored a Summer Reading Incentive
Program. Every time a student fin
ished a book, they got a prize, said
Mercier. And that prize, often enough,
Mercier sponsored a Summer Reading Incen
tive Program. Every time a student finished a
book, they got a prize, said Mercier. And that
prize, often enough, was another book. Partici
pants read 40 books during the program.
"It's important to show the cover
of a book to kids," said Mercier. "It's
the pictures and color and illustra
tions that make them want to pick
that book up.
"Even for young adults," she con
tinued, "there's been more circula
tion since showing the faces of the
books on the top shelves. Having
exhibits has helped, too."
The library hosted 50 visitors for
the Native Authors exhibit last
year. "Many had no idea that we
had these books," she said.
Putting off for a moment the inevi
table crunch that will come when
the library shelves are full, the
growth in library usage in the last
year has been incredible. In 2004,
said Mercier, 884 items were circu
lated through the community. Last
year, 3,025 were circulated.
One of the drivers of library usage
is the internet connection available to
the public on library computers. The
library staff has benefited by partici
pating in State-funded library train
ing, according to Mercier, while at the
same time, the library has been con
nected to the State Library's EBSCO
database research system. And this
month, the Oregon State Library will
provide each of the Tribal libraries in
was another book. Participants read
40 books during the program.
Another program, Discover Native
Oregon, included a field trip to find
Native plants, and projects like turn
ing rocks into paint. The program
included a look at authentic designs
found on rocks on the shores of the
Columbia River, like the famous
"She Who Watches" face. Partici
pants used the paints they made to
copy the old authentic designs.
Tribal Elder and basket weaver
Sam Henny took participants on a
journey through ancient weaving
techniques, teaching how to make
little baskets and bags using hemp
and wool and cotton.
A poetry recital drew a small but
intensely interested group and
now the group meets regularly on
the second Wednesday of each
month. Participants can read their
own or somebody else's poetry or
just sit and listen.
"The enthusiasm of those who
were there was a sight to behold,"
said Mercier.
Kids groups making use of the li
brary also have expanded, said
Mercier. Now, the library offers
story time to groups of 3-4 year olds,
4-5 year olds, and the Chinook im
mersion classes. Kindergartners
get a story and also learn how to
check books in and out.
"They stand with me behind the
counter," said Mercier, "and see how
their books come up on the com
puter screen."
Tribal historian and Grand
Ronde Elder June Olson pre
sented at the library and so did
Western Oregon University Pro
fessor of EnglishWritingLinguis
tics, Curtis Yehnert, who also is a
Native storyteller.
The library also has purchased
cassette players with headphones
so that book groups can all listen
to the same story on tape before
discussion opens.
"I just want them to get inter
ested in a book club," said Mercier.
"We'll get there."
At the same time, Mercier was busy
last year working with Tribal lobby
ist Justin Martin to get House Bill
2674 passed in the state legislature
in 2004. The law included Tribal li
braries among the rest of the librar
ies in the state, allowing them to
participate in inter-library loans and
making them eligible for state grants.
The Tribal library also has been re
ceiving funding from the Institute of
Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
since the early 1990s, said Mercier.
IMLS offers non-competitive grants
for Tribes, and made grants to the
Tribal library three times in the 1990s.
Later in the 1990s, it funded a part
time staffer for the library, and in
2003-05, it provided the Tribal library
with a grant for more new staff to help
start some of the programming men
tioned above.
Beginning this month, however,
the Tribe will become the primary
funder of the library. This will help
maintain continuity whatever hap
pens with grants and gifts that sus
tained the library in its early years,
according to Mercier.
"Down the road," said Mercier,
"the hope is that we have a sepa
rate facility for the library. As
grand as this is, this shouldn't be
the end."