IT'S not hard to spot the new aboriginal collection at North Vancouver City Library thanks to the distinctive markers that adorn each book spine.
Designed by 15-year-old St. Thomas Aquinas secondary student Raven Grenier, the book labels feature a black, red and white illustration of a salmon trout head. Grenier says she picked this image because of its commonality amongst First Nations groups all along the B.C. coast.
"I hand drew it and then my dad helped me to digitize it," she explains.
Grenier's father is French Canadian-Polish and her mother is half Gitxsan, half Cree. The young artist, who also has her work showcased on street banners on Esplanade Avenue, says she has learned a lot about First Nations art as a member of the aboriginal dance company Dancers of Damelahamid.
"We create a lot of our own regalia and we have lots of different masks and wools."
The chance to have her design displayed at the library has been a creative motivator, she says.
"Everyone's just been so very encouraging towards doing First Nations art and it's definitely made me want to keep on pursuing it."
Located on the library's third floor, the new collection of First Nations material was unveiled on Aboriginal Day, June 21. Most of the books were gathered from existing non-fiction sections in the library, but there are a few new titles too.
"Instead of having our First Nations resources scattered across the wide Dewey (Decimal System) range, we've pulled them all together," says NVCL chief librarian Jane Watkins.
The decision to create a separate collection is all part of the library's commitment to reflecting the community, Watkins says, noting the library also added a local history section earlier this year.
The 250-book aboriginal collection features myths and legends, rituals and ceremonies, art, history, politics, food, cultural issues and more. Resources range from children's storybooks to scholarly texts. And while material touches on native peoples from around the province and country, the focus is on local First Nations groups. Watkins is particularly proud to have a Squamish-English language dictionary on the shelves.
As it stands, she says the newly assembled aboriginal collection is a "beginning place" for the library.
"I really see us broadening and expanding that collection in consultation with the community from here on in."
To mark Aboriginal Day, the library is also displaying a selection of First Nations carvings from the art collection of the late Jack Loucks, former City of North Vancouver mayor, until July 15.
