Timberland Regional Library celebrates Native American Heritage Month with special library card

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The Timberland Regional Library (TRL) recently unveiled a new, custom-designed library card in honor of Native American Heritage Month. 

The card is designed by Ovila Mailhot, a Coast Salish graphic artist and designer. The card is available at all TRL locations while supplies last. 

Mailhot, originally from the Seabird Island Reserve in British Columbia, lived in the Fraser Valley his entire life before recently moving to the Midwest. According to a news release from TRL, Mailhot comes from a long line of creative people who shaped indigenous art, literature, scholarship, activism and representation. 

According to a biography Mailhot provided to TRL, he is the first in his family to practice graphic art and design and his work carries a “stylistically Salish level of simplicity.”



“My art is meant to add to a continuum within Coast Salish culture, one so rich and expansive that it still hasn’t been fully actualized within or received by mainstream culture,” Mailhot said.

To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, TRL placed a spotlight on materials that honor and celebrate the histories, diverse cultures and accomplishments of Native Americans. Throughout November, TRL’s website and each of its libraries featured staff-selected materials and resources highlighting Native American perspectives. 

TRL patrons can also use their TRL library cards to access online resources for free.

To learn more about the Coast Salish people, visit BurkeMuse um.org.