WEAVING TOOLS
Navajo Nation President Kelsey Begaye has made technology a focus of his presidency. The Navajo Nation Technology infrastructure is being developed to accommodate the emerging communication technologies. (See Navajo Nation Technology Assessment 1997).
Kelsey Begaye was the first Navajo president to cast his democratic ballot vote via the Internet on March 2000.
The New Mexico State Library (NMSL) Tribal Libraries Program began as a legislative initiative from Senator Leonard Tsosie with other senators in 1994. The mission of the New Mexico Tribal Libraries Program is to promote and support access to information for tribal communities in New Mexico emphasizing use of current and developing communication technologies. Legislative initiatives continue into 2001.
Brief Overview
- 1994 Legislative sponsor, Senator Leonard Tsosie intoroduced HB 219 at the 41st session
- 1995 $550,000 was appropriated from the general funds to establish the Native American Libraries Project to provide computers with Internet servcices to ten Pueblos, two Apaches, and eleven Navajo chapters in rural areas.
- 1996 Crownpoint Resource Center was established on the Navajo Reservation to provide library services and computer training for Eastern and Northern agencies.
- 1997 Staff from the NMSL Tribal Libraries Program met with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation representatives in Seattle, WA. As a result of these meetings, the Gates Foundation perceived the need to expand their public library grants to include tribal communities. Since then, the Gates Foundation granted computers to the Pueblos and Apache Tribes in New Mexico and all 110 Navajo chapter houses.
- 2001 The NMSL Tribal Libraries Program continues to maintain equipment and provide Internet access and training as long as feasible by two contractors. For the past six years, the NMSL has maintained a branch of the State Library in Crownpoint as an outreach and training center for the Navajo areas. The office is located in Diné College-Crownpoint branch.
- Training NMSL Tribal Libraries Program provides training for local level library automation projects within Pueblo, Apache and one Navajo school Libraries. Two librarian contractors conduct a one-on-one-site training at the libraries. Two computer contractors conduct troubleshooting Internet workshops. Jean Whitehorse conducts basic Internet training at the local chapter house to tribal employees level.
- 2001 At the 45th New Mexico state legislative session, Senator Tsosie introduced SCO1020. Senate Capital Outlay Request 1020 reads as: Library Technology Additions in the Navajo Chapters McKinley and San Juan Counties requesting for one million five hundred dollars ($1,500,000) to plan, design, construct, equip and furnish library technology additions to existing Navajo chapters in McKinley and San Juan counties.
Top of page
