We respectfully acknowledge that Monroe County Public Library, in all of its iterations since 1818, was built and exists on land that has been, is still, and will continue to be rightfully occupied and nurtured by the Bodwéwadmik (Potawatomi), Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Lënape (Delaware), Myaamia (Miami), and Saawanwaki (Shawnee) Indigenous peoples, among others.
The Treaty of St. Mary’s was signed into law in 1818 and is only one of several similar efforts to systematically remove Indigenous peoples from territory that is now Indiana and Ohio by the rule of unjust law. Monroe County Public Library benefits from the inheritance of this stolen land as a result of the forced removal and intentional erasure of the cultural legacy of these peoples by colonizers.
We as an organization are dedicated to using our privilege to grow Monroe County’s access to knowledge and understanding of the Indigenous communities who still bear ownership of this space. This involves consistent effort and attention to centering Own Voices resources in our collections, programming, and physical spaces, as well as being diligent and intentional allies to Indigenous communities.
