Nov 26, 2021

For nearly 25 years, USDA's National Agricultural Library (NAL) has donated thousands of books on agriculture and Native American culture to Tribal College libraries across the United States. The books are selected from NAL's collection reserves and from the Library of Congress Surplus Books Program.

NAL sends a list of titles to the Tribal College librarians, who choose which books they want to add to their collection.

"Most tribal college libraries also serve as the public libraries for their communities," said Valerie McBeth, Library Director at the Lummi Library at Northwest Indian College in Washington State. "So, in addition to the great materials we receive to support our academic missions, we also receive popular and general works that we would not normally purchase, and which support our public missions."

According to Gary McCone, who established the program at NAL in 1998, "The thousands of books provided by NAL over the years have enabled the (tribal) libraries to greatly expand their collections and meet required college accreditation standards."

Aaron LaFromboise, Director of Library Services, Medicine Spring Library, Blackfeet Community College, elaborates, "This is a wonderful program, one that has added depth to our collection. I look forward to ongoing collaboration between NAL and Tribal College Libraries."