Oklahoma to Host 2008 National Institutes for

The Oklahoma Department of Libraries will host four National Institutes for Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums during 2008 at the Cherokee Casino and Resort in Catoosa (Tulsa), Oklahoma.  The Institutes, as well as accompanying one-day pre-conference workshops, are scheduled for April, July, August, and October.
            The Institutes received major funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).  In 2006 a $603,000 grant from IMLS funded a three-year project that included funding for two national conferences and four national institutes.  The Department of Libraries was host to the first conference which took place in Oklahoma City in October 2007.  The conference tripled attendance from previous conferences, drawing more than 600 attendees from 48 states.  The 2008 Institutes and Workshops will again be in Oklahoma, with the 2009 conference moving to Portland, Oregon.
            The 2008 Institutes are also funded through a $218,369 grant from NHPRC for the Oklahoma Tribal Heritage Project.  The project will provide a total of $150,000 in funding to Oklahoma repositories through a competitive grant process, $39,000 in scholarships to the Institutes, and will help publish a “Guide to American Indian Materials and Collections in Oklahoma.”
The Institutes provide information and hands-on instruction regarding the care and management of archival, library, and museum collections, with emphasis placed on the special considerations involved in American Indian materials. Topics include “How to Recognize and Prevent Threats to Your Collection,” “Skills and Strategies for Managing Tribal Records,” “Displaying and Caring for American Indian Objects,” “Digitization Projects: From Planning to Implementation,” “Collection, Use, and Care of Historic Photographs,” “Training for American Indian Library Services,” and “Building and Managing Culturally Responsive Library Collections and Programs.” A field trip to Tulsa area museums also will be offered.
            Cost to attend each three-day Institute is $200, which includes breakfast, lunch, and materials. The one-day workshops are $50 each, which includes lunch, transportation to the off-site venue, and materials. A maximum of 175 registrations per Institute will be accepted. Scholarships are available on a limited basis to attend the Institutes. Please visit www.tribalconference.org for more information regarding the Institutes, scholarships, and registration forms or phone Susan Feller at 405/522-3515 or email conference@oltn.odl.state.ok.us.