"In Tlingit mythology, dragonflies were thought to be transports of the human soul for shamans, symbols of transformation. Our hope is by helping young people teach adults the ways of computer technology lives will be transformed."[1]

As I searched for projects promoting equity of access in Alaska, the Dragonfly Project-a joint effort of the Chilkoot Indian Association and Haines Borough Public Library Technology Awareness Program-immediately stood out. I chose this project for many reasons, partly because it reminded me very strongly of some of the projects we had designed in class, but more so because it reflected the mission of the presidential task force so clearly. The project promises "to upgrade computer resources, increase accessibility to those resources, and improve technology literacy by recruiting teens to receive training on automated library resources so they may train other library users, especially Native Elders."[2] Best of all, the project is current and has recently been awarded a substantial Native American Library Services Enhancement grant of $127,333.00 over the next two years.

Dragonfly Project - Haines Borough, Alaska
http://haineslibrary.org/haineslibrary/dragonfly/index.html.
The Dragonfly Project-a joint effort of the Chilkoot Indian Association and Haines Borough Public Library Technology Awareness Program-is an intergenerational project that first helps young adults become familiar with the library's technological resources and then allows these teens to teach the same skills to others. The project is funded by a Native American Library Services Enhancement grant. Information about current activities can be found at the project's web site.

Resources:

[1]Dragonfly Project Web Site. http://haineslibrary.org/haineslibrary/dragonfly/index.html
[2]Alaska Library Assocation. "Million Dollar Week in Haines," Karen Crane's Friday Library Bulletin. September 28, 2001. http://www.library.state.ak.us/fb/display.cfm?CFID=201