Today is Indigenous Peoples Day. The UW Tacoma Library is situated on the land of the Puyallup People. We recognize the Puyallup Tribe and its Elders past and present for their ongoing efforts to sustain tribal sovereignty, preserve their culture, and care for this place.

To celebrate this day we want to share some resources, specific to the work we do at the UW Tacoma Library, that help uplift the voices of Indigenous communities and peoples. We see these voices and stories as important and vital counter-narratives to dominant paradigms.

This blog post is not exhaustive or extensive, and other campus units have shared their thoughts and resources as well. And we look forward to the day where we can put on exhibits, feature #IndigenousReads collections, and hold in-person events that center Indigenous voices.

We are fortunate to have a number of powerful oral histories from the Tacoma Community History Project with members of Indigenous communities. Here’s a link. Meet Lorraine Elizabeth Joseph, Philip H. Red Eagle, Robert Elofson, and Lena Landry Davis, among others, who share their experiences with the Puyallup Land Claims Settlement and more.

The UW Tacoma Library Digital Commons promotes open access by preserving and making publicly accessible the scholarly and creative work produced by members of the UW Tacoma campus community. The scholarship of Michelle Montgomery, Robin Starr Zape-tah-hol-ah Minthorn, and Danica Miller are available to peruse! And if you haven’t learned yet about the new Muckleshoot Cohort EdD, we encourage you to learn more. This specific cohort is Indigenous-centered in the curriculum and approaches in the program.

We encourage you to learn more about the land that you are on, to research deeply and broadly, and to think about Indigenous approaches to scholarship and knowledge.