Collection Equity Award - Portland State University Library

This award would fund the purchase of materials supporting resources in the areas of Native, Indigenous, and Pacific Islander health. Portland State University (PSU) is a large urban university, serving students from Portland, its metro area, and beyond. Situated in the middle of the city, PSU campus and its Library are used by the public as well as PSU students, staff, and faculty. Over the last ten years the Portland area has seen an increase in its Pacific Islander population and is home to the ninth largest urban Native American population in the United States.

Beginning in Fall 2022, PSU will begin to offer an Indigenous Health concentration as part of its undergraduate Public Health program, and new courses regarding Native and Indigenous health for the graduate level are also being developed. Many students who pursue Health Studies at PSU go on to work in the nonprofit sector or for governmental agencies serving the public. As support for this program and for our Native, Indigenous, and Pacific Islander students we will purchase materials written by members of these populations focusing on the health of people in these communities. These materials will allow students the opportunity to learn from communities about the communities and position them to find successes as they go on to work with and in these communities as professionals.

Being a part of the Orbis-Cascade Alliance of libraries also affords the opportunity for purchased materials to have an even wider reach. Library users affiliated with any of the 37 libraries in the Alliance will be able to request and use print materials purchased.