Xwi7xwa Library

Xwi7xwa Library
Name	Xwi7xwa Library
Established	1993
Location	Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Type	Indigenous library, research library

Xwi7xwa Library is an Indigenous library and research centre located on the campus of University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia. It serves as a hub for Indigenous knowledge, community access, and research support connected to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples across Canada and the Pacific Northwest. The library is recognized for its culturally grounded cataloguing, community partnerships, and contributions to Indigenous librarianship and archival practice.

History

The library emerged from collaborations among Indigenous Nations and academic institutions following discussions influenced by leaders such as Phil Fontaine, Gord Downie, and activists connected to movements including the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Canada), which spotlighted Indigenous rights and cultural preservation. Founding initiatives were informed by Indigenous scholars affiliated with University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and organizations like the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs and the Assembly of First Nations. Early development aligned with policy shifts triggered by the Indian Act (Canada) debates and post-1990s curricular reforms inspired by figures such as Linda Tuhiwai Smith and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson. The library opened in its present capacity in the 1990s, amid broader institutional responses paralleling collections work at the National Museum of the American Indian and archives practice at the Library and Archives Canada.

Collections and Special Holdings

The collections emphasize Indigenous-authored materials and community-held knowledge, complementing holdings at the Massey Library, Blaeu Library, and regional repositories such as the Royal British Columbia Museum. Strengths include monographs by authors like Thomas King, Richard Wagamese, Eden Robinson, Jeannette Armstrong, Lee Maracle, and Billy-Ray Belcourt, plus works in Indigenous languages from Nations including the Musqueam Indian Band, Squamish Nation, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Haida Nation, Tlingit, Nisga'a, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Gitxsan. Archival holdings feature materials related to leaders and scholars including Chief Dan George, Joe Capilano, Andrew Paull, and collections analogous to items curated at the Amerindian Research Unit and the Institute of Pacific Relations. The library maintains specialized resources on Indigenous law comparable to texts by John Borrows, Bonita Lawrence, Pam Palmater, and policy analyses reflecting decisions such as R v Sparrow and Delgamuukw v British Columbia. Visual and audio materials intersect with artists and filmmakers like Jeff Barnaby, Terrance Houle, Zoe Todd, and institutions like the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Services and Programs

Programming supports research, pedagogy, and community access through initiatives paralleling those at the Aboriginal Studies Press, the Indigenous Governance Program (UBC), and collaborations with archives models like the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. Services include reference support by librarians versed in practices advocated by scholars such as Loriene Roy and Michelle Caswell, digitization projects similar to partnerships with the Canadian Museum of History and training workshops inspired by curricula at Simon Fraser University and OCAP (Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession)-aligned programs. Student engagement intersects with programs at First Nations House of Learning, the Faculty of Arts (UBC), and community outreach with groups such as Native Education College and Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society.

Indigenous Governance and Cultural Protocols

Governance draws on Indigenous leadership models including advisory structures reflecting Nation-based protocols from Musqueam Indian Band, Squamish Nation, and Tsleil-Waututh Nation, and engages Indigenous legal frameworks echoed in scholarship by Pamela Palmater and Glen Coulthard. Collection management and access policies reflect principles related to OCAP (First Nations) and rights discussions traced to cases like R v Gladstone and policy frameworks influenced by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Cultural protocol for handling materials parallels standards advocated by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Canada) and practice at Indigenous cultural centres such as the Museum of Anthropology at UBC and the Bill Reid Gallery.

Architecture and Facilities

The facility is situated within the University of British Columbia campus context near landmarks such as the Museum of Anthropology at UBC and built environments influenced by collaborations between Indigenous designers and architects who engage traditions similar to practices seen in projects with Arthur Erickson-designed spaces and contemporary works by firms associated with Indigenous design advisors. Spaces include culturally appropriate reading rooms, meeting spaces for Elders and Knowledge Keepers comparable to those at the First Nations House of Learning, and secure archival storage reflecting standards used by Library and Archives Canada and the British Columbia Archives.

Partnerships and Community Engagement

Partnerships extend to academic units such as the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies (UBC), community organizations including the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, cultural institutions like the Vancouver Public Library and Vancouver Art Gallery, and national bodies such as the Canadian Museum of History and Library and Archives Canada. Collaborative projects involve Indigenous media partners like APTN, publishers such as University of Manitoba Press and Arsenal Pulp Press, and research networks aligned with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and community-driven initiatives connected to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

Category:Libraries in Vancouver Category:Indigenous organisations in Canada