Making Meaning

Thank you to those who attended MMS; it was a great success! Please note that this website is maintained as an archive only.

Who Should Attend?

Making Meaning is a conference for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples interested in Indigenous librarianship, community, and metadata. Approximately 90 participants are expected to attend the conference.

What is the Intent?

We cannot begin the process of 'decolonizing' our practices without bringing in our relatives and community partners. Through conversation, participants will engage with Indigenous knowledge systems, worldview, and culture. This will aide the University of Alberta Library (UAL) and other librarians to create meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities. In addition, participants will leave with a broader perspective on how to appropriately represent Indigenous peoples in metadata.

What Can We Expect?

Programming will include: panel discussions on classification schemes and how technology can implement solutions and a sharing circle that will allow for community members to express how the role of libraries has affected learning and access to information in their communities.

The second day will include a session about what Indigenous knowledge is and what Indigenous-led research looks like. There will be the chance to hear from Indigenous scholars about how library systems effect the research that they do.

To end, we will gather as a group to discuss what the next steps for each person and organization should be in terms of a broader line of thinking towards decolonization. This could include creating a guide for libraries that are considering undergoing a process such as this one, or beginning a list of problematic subject headings that will need further consultations with the communities.

What Will It Cost?

Attending the symposium will be free of cost!

How Do I Register?

Registration is now live, and can be done by clicking on the 'Register' tab at the top of the page.