Native American Heritage Month is dedicated to celebrating the diverse culture, history, and traditions of the Native people. What started at the turn of the century as an effort to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the U.S., has resulted in a whole month being designated for that purpose.

November was officially declared Native American Her-itage Month in 1990 by former President George H. W. Bush. Every year since 1994, a new proclamation has been made. Sometimes the proclamations use different names, like:

• National American Indian Heritage Month

• Native American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month

• American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month November is an excellent chance for the public to learn about the challenges that Native Americans faced in the past and today. It's also a perfect time to learn about the many tribal communities throughout the country and their traditional celebrations.

When the library reopens to the public on Nov. 8th stop to browse our Native American collection of books, e-books and DVDs.