The iSchool’s student organizations are where students express their creativity and leadership skills within communities of practice. Recently, we caught up with Morgan Reardon, the Community Connections Chair of the Tribal Libraries, Archives, and Museums (TLAM) student group. At the heart of TLAM is bringing information resources and support to Native students on campus and the tribal communities of Wisconsin. “We strive to provide educational opportunities for iSchool students to learn about the specific information needs of tribal communities,” says Reardon, a Bad River tribal member.
This year, TLAM is working on the creation of a library in the American Indian Student and Cultural Center (AISCC) where Native students can get together, find a community, and host events. “It will be a resource for Native students and community members to easily access materials that represent them and which they might need for their college courses,” Reardon says. This project is especially near and dear to her. “I’m really looking forward to seeing how it grows throughout the year.” TLAM is also working on providing K-12 instructors with up-to-date educational resources about Native people.
The organization also works with other Native groups on campus, such as Wunk Sheek, with whom TLAM has partnered on community dinners and the Read Indigenously Book Club. “In the past, our focus has been on reaching out to tribal communities off campus,” Reardon explains. “That’s a vital aspect of our work, and I want to extend those same resources to the Native students on campus.”
The collaboration with Wunk Sheek has allowed TLAM to reach Native students—and discover new ways of connecting and engaging with them. “We do that through our projects and events,” says Reardon. New for TLAM this year are social gatherings, such as movie nights, that also incorporate guidance and ideas on how iSchool students can work to support Indigenous peoples as LIS professionals.
Want to get involved with TLAM (or get the details on their next social event)? Get in touch with Morgan Reardon at mreardon3@wisc.edu, or John Walker at jdwalker5@wisc.edu.
Visit the TLAM website here: http://www.tlamproject.org/