The Xwi7xwa Library

Story

X̱wi7x̱wa (pronounced whei-wha) is part of the continuing development of Indigenous education at the University of British Columbia. X̱wi7x̱wa means “echo” in the Squamish language and was presented to by the late Chief Simon Baker, Squamish Nation. The library’s history began in the early 1970′s with the founding of the Indian Education Resource Centre. The collection later became the Native Indian Teacher Education Program (NITEP) collection.

In 2005, the X̱wi7x̱wa Library became a branch of the UBC Library which included core funding for collections and staffing. The Library continues to maintain and develop the Xwi7xwa (Indigenous) classification system and First Nations House of Learning (FNHL) Subject Headings. In 2005, the Library of Congress authorized the FNHL Subject Headings as an internationally recognized Indigenous Thesaurus.

The collections focus on First Nations in British Columbia, including contextual materials on Indigenous issues of national and international interest to First Nations and Indigenous peoples. X̱wi7x̱wa collects materials written from First Nations perspectives, such as, materials produced by First Nations, First Nations organizations, tribal councils, schools, publishers, researchers, writers, and scholars.