Library Celebrates Native American & Indigenous Peoples’ Month

Sonoma County Library recognizes Native American & Indigenous Peoples’ Month (NAIPM) throughout November with librarian-curated reading lists, special in-person events, virtual author talks and more. The month-long celebration expresses the library’s respect for local Native American communities, including the Miwok, Wappo, Wintun, Pomo and Patwin, as well as the Indigenous Peoples from across the world who now make Sonoma County their home.

This year the library partnered with local Southern Pomo artist Nicole Martinez Jones, a Sonoma County-based illustrator known for her whimsical drawings focused on local flora and fauna. The library features her custom artwork in branch book displays, event posters and on social media.

Sonoma County Library Deputy Director Dara Bradds invites the community to explore the books, films and events created to highlight Native American and Indigenous Peoples. “We’re excited to honor the rich histories and many contributions of Indigenous Peoples in Sonoma County and around the world,” Bradds said.

For NAIPM, the library has created librarian-recommended reads for children, teens and adults; scheduled virtual author talks with, among others, Dawn Quigley and Mona Susan Power; and developed in-person workshops, including one with local artist Amanda Ayala, who will discuss the history of accordion art books as crafted by Indigenous Peoples in the Americas.

For more information on Sonoma County Library’s programming and resources created for Native American & Indigenous Peoples’ Month, visit sonomalibrary.org/NAIHM.

Sonoma County Library has more than 780,000 physical items at its 14 libraries, three special collections and mobile library van. During its most recent fiscal year (2023-2024), more than 1.4 million people visited a library and total book and online circulation reached 4.4 million.

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For media inquiries, please contact Sonoma County Library Communications Manager Ray Holley at rholley@sonomalibrary.org or 707-755-2014.