WELCOME TO LA PORTE CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
THIS LAND WE'RE ON
La Porte City Public Library is housed on the ancestral lands of the Báxoǰe or Bah Kho-Je (Iowa), oθaakiiwaki‧hina‧ki (Sauk) and Meškwahki·aša·hina (Fox), Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Sioux), Umóⁿhoⁿ (Omaha), and Hocąk (Ho-Chunk). We acknowledge the sovereignty of these tribal nations as the original caretakers of the lands, and we acknowledge the violent, painful histories of ethnic cleansing and dispossession. The Library also recognizes the tribal nations who are contemporary caretakers of land in Iowa, including the Meskwaki Nation: Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa.
As an institution of life-long learning and stewardship of knowledge, we hold responsibility to ensure the histories and cultures of Native and Indigenous Peoples are published and celebrated. The ancestral ideals of these tribes and the contemporary caretakers are woven into the mission and vision of the Library and are made known through education.
As a public institution, the Library seeks to honor Native and Indigenous Peoples and Culture through education, training, and promotion. The Library recognizes and supports the work of the 7th Generation Principle. Following in practice, the Library recognizes and seeks to embrace our connection to land and our personal responsivity to ensuring the longevity of the natural environment; we work to live a sustainable life.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY
On 8 October 2018, Native and Indigenous communities across Iowa gathered at the Iowa State Capitol Building for the signing of the State of Iowa’s Indigenous Peoples Day proclamation, declaring the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples Day.
In the proclamation, Governor Kim Reynolds affirms the State of Iowa “seeks to promote practices and policies that honor the state’s Indigenous roots, history, and contributions, and reflect the experiences of Indigenous Peoples, to ensure greater access and opportunity.”
As a public institution committed to community, the Library is proud to honor this ancestral land on which we deliver our mission to provide access to information, promote literacy, and enrich lives to build a better community.