Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford 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: – 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

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

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

Lending No library cards 4 week lending period Sign out sheet

Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford The Result

Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford

Mural

Literacy Matters Association Abbotsford

Next Steps Additional Titles Library programs Reading Buddies? Library Technician? Stickers in the books Corporate sponsorship