Calgary Public Library and its 21 locations are on Treaty 7 territory, but the library did not have a history of engaging local Indigenous communities as unique library patrons. Due to this lack of connection and the long history of mistrust between Indigenous people in Canada and governmental institutions, there was a strong chance the Placemaking initiative would fail if the library approached this project without proper understanding and the involvement of local Indigenous populations.

Through several rounds of consultation with Treaty 7 communities, the library heard how important it was for this initiative to be collaborative and community-driven. We learned to acknowledge and highlight the differences in history and culture of various Indigenous Nations, and how to engage with each of them individually on terms that were culturally appropriate. These learnings are now being applied to new projects such as the Indigenous Languages Resource Centre.

The first round of Indigenous Placemaking launched with the opening of the new Central Library in November 2018, allowing Indigenous people to see themselves represented throughout our main location. Additionally, Indigenous Placemaking has provided educational opportunities to over 1.1 million patrons since opening. The success of this project has led to securing additional funding. New artists are producing new Indigenous Placemaking works, bringing this connective artwork to a number of our locations.