The revitalization and preservation of Latin American Indigenous languages, cultures, and knowledge is an ongoing endeavor for some universities in the United States, often empowered by initiatives of inclusion and diversity. The expansion of these initiatives to a broader number of universities may support the preservation of the cultures and languages of Latin American Indigenous peoples. University libraries, as a nuclear component of a university, could play a significant role in advancing the inclusion of Latin American Indigenous languages into library services, through the creation of collections, promotion of collections, and being part of a network of on-campus collaboration that educates and fosters understanding of the importance of protecting Indigenous knowledge and the historical past that Indigenous cultures represent.
This study seeks to answer the following question: are university libraries in the United States supporting inclusion and diversity through the purchase of Latin American Indigenous language materials? In addition, the author explores what initiatives university libraries could take to further the revitalization and advancement of these Indigenous languages.
Complete article (free access), here
|