Blue Lake Rancheria

The Blue Lake Rancheria Sylvia Daniels Memorial Library in California will expand its programming to bring culture, innovation, and learning opportunities to the rural areas of Humboldt County. COVID-19 highlighted challenges around the lack of technological infrastructure and readiness for virtual learning, leading to stress and anxiety. Programs developed in partnership with Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Education Agency will emphasize youth and family literacy and mental health. The Wisdom Basket mobile library van will visit outlying rural areas once a month to share literacy, arts and crafts, STEM, and cultural activities with schools and communities. During the van’s visit, children can borrow backpacks filled with age-appropriate books, which they can return the following month. The library will produce videos to post on a YouTube channel featuring content on elder-instructed cultural arts such as basket making, beading, traditional cooking, and storytelling.