Makoce Collection

Housed at Franklin Library in the heart of Minneapolis’ American Indian Cultural Corridor, the Makoce Collection contains a variety of materials of interest and importance to American Indian community members. The majority of works in this collection are created by Indigenous authors and illustrators. Special focus is on materials about the Dakota and Ojibwe nations of Minnesota, as well as other regional and culturally connected tribes, but the collection also includes works about other Indigenous communities that share geography with North America. This collection will grow and evolve to meet the interests of the American Indian community and will serve as a place for all library patrons to increase knowledge and understanding about the history, culture, and contemporary topics of Native people.  

The collection contains items for adults and youth, including nonfiction, fiction, and periodicals. All items from this collection can be checked out and may be requested for pick-up at other Hennepin County Library locations.

Browse the Makoce Collection items for adults in the catalog.

Browse the Makoce Collection items for youth in the catalog.

Strengths of this collection include:

• Language learning materials (Ojibwe, Lakota, Dakota)
• Bilingual picture books
• Cookbooks
• Art
• Poetry

Established first in 1970, this collection was redefined in 2023 with help from members of the American Indian community and guidance from Hennepin County Library’s Mni Sota Native American Advisory Council. The name of the collection, the Dakota word for “land,” recognizes the origins and history of the land on which Hennepin County Library sits and also seeks to welcome Native people of all backgrounds who call this land home.