State Grant Will Help Goodnow Library Amplify Sudbury’s Indigenous History

SUDBURY – Goodnow Library is pleased to share that it was recently awarded a federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant for $20,000 from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) to help amplify Sudbury’s indigenous history. 

The Goodnow Library plans to use the grant to gather and consolidate copies of documents into one special collection at the Goodnow Library. The project also has an oral history component, for which local Nipmuc, Massachusett, and Wampanoag elders will be interviewed to record and preserve stories passed along from generation to generation.

These oral histories will provide new perspectives on local history and potentially lead project staff toward additional documents or artifacts to add to the Goodnow Library’s special collection. 

Sudbury’s existing historical record has long glossed over its Indigenous history. The town’s archives have only a small number of primary source documents from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Most of the available secondary sources, primarily books, are written from a Colonial perspective and in a manner that is biased toward the English settlers, especially in discussions of conflicts and war.

Once created, this collection can add a more comprehensive and inclusive perspective of Sudbury’s history, and will be accessible to the public in perpetuity.

“Across our town, organizations are working to fill in the gaps in the historical record and provide a more inclusive narrative of the history of Sudbury,” said Esmé Green, Library Director. “This collection will provide better access for researchers, educators, and members of the public with a desire to learn more about local history in an inclusive and balanced manner.”

Twenty libraries received funding from the Direct Grants for Libraries program, totaling $360,949. Federal grant opportunities from the MBLC include financial and health literacy programs, STEM and STEAM projects, programs that help people learn English and become citizens, programs that serve young adult needs and projects that preserve valuable historical documents. Grants are also available to help communities highlight local history, increase access to library services for people with disabilities, and support small business development and entrepreneurs. 

“Libraries in communities across the Commonwealth are committed to meeting the local needs of the residents they serve,” said Robert Favini, Head of Library Advisory and Development at the MBLC. “LSTA grants allow libraries to address those local needs directly, whether its programming to meet the challenges of food insecurity and rising food costs, preserving and protecting Indigenous history, or developing creative technology spaces accessible for everyone.”

In addition to the Direct Grants to Libraries program, the MBLC uses LSTA funds to support statewide programs and services including summer reading programs, research databases, the Library eBook and Audiobook (LEA) program, the Commonwealth Catalog and libraries.state.ma.us which has information and resources for residents.  LSTA is administered on the federal level by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in the Commonwealth by the MBLC. 

About IMLS 

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov.