Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians

The Ojibwe Learning Center and Library (OLCL) in Michigan will build a digital presence to allow members of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and their neighbors to access its collections of artifacts, videos, photographs, and documents, in addition to original content from the language and culture department. During the COVID-19 pandemic, community members were unable to visit the facility and engage in its cultural programming, exacerbating conditions endangering cultural continuity. Through dedicated and creative measures, staff provided limited language and cultural programming through language lessons, storytelling, and teachings. To meet this need today and sustain community engagement through difficult times, OLCL must build its capabilities to create a digital archive that provides access to all community members. Once this is completed, OLCL will be able to meet the technological challenges of its programming through its service area and beyond.