Hello, everyone! Already we are here for the last Reader’s Window of 2023! I hope this finds all of you doing well, and enjoying all the good things this holiday season brings.

This quarter’s article will focus on our monthly book club discussions, as well as once again highlighting our new digital collection of e-books and audiobooks.

For our November book club discussion, our featured book was The Language Warriors Manifesto by Anton Treuer. We were joined by Gabe Port, Samish Language Multimedia Specialist who was a welcome addition to our conversation.

Author Treuer is a professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University, the author of Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask, in addition to thirteen other books on Indigenous history and language. Treuer’s book tells of the work that he has done with his own Ojibwe tribe to preserve the language in his community. It is easy to see that preserving his tribe’s language is something that he feels passionate about, and it falls into the “life’s work” category. In his view, language and culture go hand in hand. He goes into detail about how he began this work, the elders that he cultivated relationships with as mentors, and the work that included building relationships with young people to keep the language alive.

December’s book is Two Old Women by Velma Wallis on December 12th (virtual) at 6:00 pm, and January’s book is Noopiming by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson on January 9th (virtual) at 6:00 pm. These titles are available as audiobooks and e-books in the Samish Digital Library, as well as print copies in our physical library. We would love to have you join us for our monthly book club discussions.

As some of you already know, last spring we launched a free digital library on the Libby app available to Samish citizens anywhere in the world. This growing collection of 17 audiobooks and 22 e-books includes local Indigenous histories, legends, histories, and memoirs, as well as nationally popular titles. Having this digital library has been an excellent way to allow Samish citizens living outside the area to have access to our library and to participate in our monthly book club discussions. Our hands go up to Thea Roe, Samish Event Planner, for her hard work in making our digital library a reality, and one that is being used and much appreciated. Hóy7sxwq’e, Thea!

For assistance in getting started on the Libby app, or to recommend a new book title for the digital collection, please contact me, Cheryl Chatt, at cchatt@samishtribe.nsn.us, or Thea Roe at troe@samishtribe.nsn.us.

For making this all possible, our hands go up to Samish Indian Nation Tribal Council, Samish IT, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services Enhancement Grant.

The Samish Indian Nation Library now has expanded hours. The library is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm. As always, I look forward to sharing our growing collection of titles with you.

Take care, be well, and enjoy the holidays with friends and family.