Tribal College’s New Library Will Serve Both Students and the Public

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College’s new library, which opens Friday, was built to serve the Wisconsin tribal college’s students as well as other members of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. So the library has not only book stacks — in which a polished tree trunk stretches toward the ceiling — but also a children’s section and an interior wigwam with seating and a fireplace. The wigwam will be used for storytelling and teaching.

According to the Sawyer County Record, the library’s opening coincides with the 25th anniversary of the founding of the college, located in Hayward, Wis. The new building was designed by SJA Architects, of Duluth, Minn., to be as sustainable as possible. Besides taking advantage of natural light, the building was constructed with extra insulation and a high-efficiency heating system that relies in part on radiant heat.