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First Nations and Indigenous Studies

Selected Resources

Search the UBC Catalogue

TIP: If you limit your search to Location: X̱wi7x̱wa Library, you do not need to use keywords like "Indigenous" because our collection centres Indigenous scholarship and perspectives. You will retrieve fewer results, which means you may exclude some relevant materials, but it also means you will not have to sift through pages of results that have little to do with Indigeneity.

Finding Materials in the UBC Catalogue

IMPORTANT: the dominant structure for organizing information is from a western perspective, for this reason you may need to use outdated (sometimes offensive) terminology to find resources; do not hesitate to contact us for assistance navigating this. 

Try these basic strategies to begin your research in the UBC Library Catalogue.

This site: indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca on terminology assists in understanding the difference between Indian, Aboriginal, "First Nation", native, and Indigenous.

Keyword Searches

Combine keywords about your topic AND keywords relating to the concept of Indigenous identity. For example:

  • "First Nations"
  • Indigenous
  • Aboriginal
  • Aboriginal
  • Indian
  • Native
  • Native
  • Inuit
  • Métis
  • Nation name (ex. Squamish)

Helpful Hints for Keyword Searches

  • Use quotation marks to search for a phrase.
    Example: "First Nations"
  • Use a question mark to truncate a term to search for words with the same stem.
    Example: Aborig? retrieves Aboriginal, Aboriginals, Aborigine, etc. 

Try these basic strategies to begin your research in the UBC Library Catalogue.

Subject Headings

Subject headings are a tool designed to help researchers find similar materials. These are only some examples of the many subject headings that X̱wi7x̱wa Library uses. Spend a few minutes exploring them when you find a book in the catalogue that supports your research.

Browse Catalogue > Subject begins with:

Try these basic strategies to begin your research in the UBC Library Catalogue.

Browse Call Numbers

X̱wi7x̱wa Library uses a unique Classification Scheme. Come visit us and ask a X̱wi7x̱wa librarian for a tour of the system. Here are a few highlights:

B  History and Culture
E  Education
S Health
W  Fine Arts
X Languages
Y Literature

Policy & Public Documents

Search Summon
Enter topic keyword(s) 
Limit your search to Content Type: Government Document.

Search the Des Libris Database
Under Filter/Facets, click Refine Your Search, then select Public Documents

TIP: Try searching for the names of government ministries or departments.

Visit the UBC Library webpage on Government Publications for more help.