Celebrate the Makoce Collection on August 9

Join us for a day of storytelling, music, and community on Saturday, August 9, at Franklin Library (1314 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis) as we celebrate the Makoce Collection.

The majority of works in this collection are created by Indigenous authors and illustrators with special focus on materials about the Dakota and Ojibwe nations of Minnesota, as well as other regional and culturally connected tribes.

Housed at Franklin Library, in the heart of the American Indian Cultural Corridor, the collection includes fiction and nonfiction books for all ages that reflect Native identity, history, and contemporary life. Materials are available in both English and Indigenous languages.

Established first in 1970, the 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.

Event schedule

9 – 11 am

• Author event with Nicolas DeShaw (Loaf the Cat Goes to the Powwow) and Roxanne Gould (Murphy, the Boss Cat of Little Earth). For youth and families.
• What is Harm Reduction? A conversation with library partners Native American Community Clinic, Indigenous Peoples Task Force, and Mobile Health Initiative.

11 am – 2 pm

• Visit and learn about Ojibwe ponies with Humble Horse on the Franklin lawn.

2 – 4 pm

• Author event with Mona Susan Power (A Council of Dolls). For adults.
• Making dreamcatchers with Roger Roan Eagle. Max 20 participants, while supplies last.

Enjoy music, refreshments, button-making, and scavenger hunts throughout the day.