Write to Read BC

Category: Update

For minor updates of interest mainly to Write to Read BC teams, communities, and partners.

  • SFU CERi publishes report on Write to Read BC success

    Write to Read BC welcomes the formal publication of a study it co-sponsored with CERi at Simon Fraser University. CERi, or Community Engaged Research initiative, funded an assessment of 15 years of Write to Read BC’s collaborative library projects.

    The qualitative study collected data from 19 Indigenous BC communities about their Write to Read BC libraries model. The study’s authors, Jody Bauche and Tara Mahoney, report that these projects evolved far beyond designing and placing Indigenous-led libraries.

    Communities value the flexibility of the Write to Read BC model, which allowed them to design their own public space. As a result, these libraries can now offer an astonishing range of services beyond reading and education. These libraries are multi-purpose community hubs. They support cultural programming, early years education, food distribution, meetings, and social connection in isolated Indigenous communities across BC.

    The findings in this report highlight several key areas of impact:

    • Strengthening community connection and belonging.
    • Providing trusted spaces where people gather across generations.
    • Supporting literacy and lifelong learning, including early literacy development.
    • Inspiring the emergence of new programs.

    About the report

    Cover of 2026 report of the impacts of Write to Read BC's collaborative library model.
    Retrospective: The impact of collaborative libraries.

  • Human Rights book club inspires list of favourites

    The BC Human Rights Commissioner started a book club focused on human rights, and asked us to share this with our network.

    This inspired Write to Read BC volunteer Gordon Yusko to ask Indigenous publishers for their favourite books about human rights. Alison at GoodMinds.com—a Write to Read BC sponsor—suggested the following, for different types of readers.

    We’re passing along this list of favourites to all BC libraries.

    Goodminds.com is a book supplier with a passion for First Nations, Metis, and Inuit authorship and education. Through its SILT Foundation, it also funds and supplies books to libraries.

  • Four library projects for 2026-2027

    Write to Read BC volunteers are currently collaborating with four Indigenous organisations or nations:

    • Daylu Dena in northern BC.
    • Aboriginal Housing Society in Prince George.
    • Tl’esqox (Toosey) library in Caribou-Chilcotin.
    • Nzen’man’ (Zenmin) Centre in Lytton.

    Together with community members, a variety of Write to Read BC volunteers will:

    • specify what library shelving to build for upcoming library projects.
    • coordinate book donations with supplier GoodMinds.com.
    • ship books to a volunteer in Whitehorse, relatively close to Daylu Dena library in northern BC.
    • complete the Daylu Dena library installation.
    • meet with Aboriginal Housing Society in Prince George to determine the library needs of multiple generations.
    • assess the available space and work on a design with Aboriginal Housing Society and stakeholders.
    • assess the space and shelves in the Tl’esqox library.
    • edit the Tl’esqox collection: cull books and develop a replacement book list.
    • firm up the 2027 Nzen’man’ project in Lytton.
    • check the type of fire-suppression—either water or foam—in the Nzen’man’ Centre, to frame the project scope.

  • Conference attendees respond to Write to Read BC projects

    During a presentation about Indigenous BC libraries, attendees at 2026 BC Library Conference expressed interest and engaged with the panel of presenters. The conference is an annual event sponsored by BC Library Association.

    Panel shared a recently completed impact study of Write to Read BC’s collaborative projects with isolated Indigenous communities. After the presentation, the audience shared their own experiences as librarians. They also asked questions about process, to learn how to better serve indigenous readers in public libraries.

    Indigenous groups in public libraries

    One librarian noted that, in the past decade, public libraries in Canada have taken “hugely positive steps” by adding Indigenous books and content to their collections. The librarian said, “There’s a lot more programming focused on Indigenous history in Canada, including the horrible impact of Indian Residential Schools.”

    Others noted public libraries have actively recruited local Indigenous residents to be on their library boards.

    Another librarian said: “In our library we reach out to two local First Nation communities,” but added that this work has no government funding. “The province doesn’t really provide enough funding to cover the costs,” said the librarian.

    Members of the audience were not asked to identify themselves, so their comments aren’t attributed.

    Processing books

    One librarian asked about how Write to Read BC’s volunteers process books for Indigenous libraries.

    Indigenous libraries installed with Write to Read BC have new books from Indigenous publishing houses in their collection. They may also have a selection of other books. The Write To Read volunteers classify all these books using the Dewey Decimal system.

    A panel presenter noted that Indigenous youth in particular want to learn it. Knowing Dewey Decimal allows them to go into a public library knowing where to find the books they’re interested in.

    After the conference presentation, several librarians asked about volunteering with Write to Read BC to process books.

    Self-directed, Indigenous-led libraries

    Rather than support public libraries in making space for Indigenous readers, Write to Read BC takes a different approach. Its volunteers partner with isolated Indigenous communities to design and and install the library they themselves want.

    The focus has been on isolated communities that have no other library nearby. However, Write to Read BC has also partnered with Indigenous-led organizations and schools that want a library.

  • Promoting Write to Read BC with BCLA librarians

    Today, Write to Read BC announced the launch of this updated website to members of BC Library Association, or BCLA. That’s because BCLA members are well placed to promote the Write to Read BC project. The announcement also mentions an upcoming impact study about communities that have an indigenous-led library.

    BC Library Association logo.

    The role of librarians

    Librarians focus on advocacy, professional development, and support of intellectual freedom. BCLA members work to ensure everyone has equitable access to information, ideas, and works of the imagination. In contrast, Write to Read BC does the same by following the lead of First Nations communities.

    The announcement to BCLA

    This is what today’s announcement covered:

    On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation it’s fitting to announce two things about the long-lasting Write to Read BC project.

    1. There is a new website, writetoreadbc.org.
    2. An impact study is in its final stages, with a report scheduled to be released in November.

    As many of you know, former lieutenant-governor of BC Steven Point envisioned and initiated this project during his time in that role between 2007 and 2012. A key partner in making the project a reality was his aide-de-camp at the time, Bob Blacker, an active member of a Rotary Club. CBC carried a story about this joint effort in May of 2014, as did various newspapers.

    Fast forward and along the way to 2025, Write to Read BC has collaborated with numerous Indigenous communities, under their leadership, to plan and install highly local libraries and learning centres. The new website documents these multiple efforts going back to 2011.

    Funding and support for the new website and the impact report was generously provided by SFU’s Main Street Research Shop. It collaborates with community partners, students, and faculty members to address community questions and concerns through research. The SFU Indigenous Student Centre has been equally generous in contributing in-kind support for a portion of the work schedule to co-supervise both the research and the web development.

  • Daylu Dena library books coming soon

    The co-leads of Write to Read BC plan to travel to Daylu Dena’s new library in early November 2025. They will deliver books and computers.

    The books will provide the indigenous focus that the community envisioned for its library.

    The computers and high-speed Internet connection will allow the library to offer remote access to online courses and conferences. Librarians typically refer to this as a learning centre.

  • Lheidli T’enneh Fort George library

    Leaders of Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, educators, and Write to Read BC volunteers have discussed the community’s vision for an indigenous-led library. A library offers support for programs that interest the community.

    Also, the library’s collection will represent Indigenous communities.

  • Gitanmaax library gets shelving

    Near the village of Hazelton, Write to Read BC volunteers recently delivered custom shelving required for the community’s school library. The shelves will also display important cultural objects, in both enclosed and open displays.

    New shelving and open displays of culturally important objects.
    New shelving, to be filled with books by the library response team. On the left is an open display case that shows framed historical photos and wooden models of traditional Indigenous housing.

    The school’s plan is nearing completion. The shelves were built for the library by Nanaimo Correctional Centre.

    This is the 23rd library the Write to Read BC project will install in isolated communities across BC, in partnership with the community.

  • Preparing to install Daylu Dena library

    Write to Read BC’s co-leads met to plan the installation of books and equipment in the Daylu Dena civic building by the end of the year.

    The building was completed a year ago, and the community and Write to Read BC are both eager to see the library installed.

    Since the library was built as part of a larger contract, it came fully finished with shelving and furniture. Write to Read library response team only needed to provide the books and computers, including a monitor. This reduced the need for financial input from Write to Read BC.

    Foyer and offices upstairs in Dalyu Dena's cultural and adminsitration building.
    The library is on the upper level, with a glass wall to admit plenty of light.

  • Visit to Daylu Dena’s civic-building site


    This month, Write to Read BC’s design response team visited Daylu Dena, just south of Watson Lake, BC. Visitors included lead architect Scott Kemp and Ryan Arsenault.

    Daylu Dena civic building: a construction site in winter.
    For our visit in late 2023, the Daylu Dena civic building was a winter construction site.

    The community is constructing a cultural and administrative building that will be completed in 2024. The building will have:

    • a Service BC office for driver’s licensing and other government business.
    • administration offices and a council chamber for Daylu Dene community business.
    • an adjoining room for the judge’s chamber, so the council chamber can be used as a court room.
    • a large gym.
    • a commercial kitchen and a coffee shop.
    • a recording studio, and language room.

    An Indigenous library

    Of course, the Daylu Dena civic building will also have a Write to Read BC library, the first to be stocked only with Indigenous books.

    A site visit to the cultural and administration building as construction approaches completion.
    Write to Read BC volunteers inside the construction site, looking up at the future location of the library.

    The library is planned for the top floor, overlooking the foyer. Its glass wall will admit lots of light.

    There team will return in 2024 to help plan the library with the community.