Danielle Marie Bitz

Indigenous Engagement Librarian

Danielle (she/they) works to incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing and being into library spaces, systems, resources, and services, and to support relationship building between the library and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit members of the University community. Prior her career as a library assistant and librarian, Danielle worked in community service and has provided support and advocacy for Indigenous families and youth, children in care, and unhoused community members.

Danielle is of mixed Métis and German-Ukrainian descent and has ties to the historic Métis communities of St. François Xavier, the Cypress Hills, and St. Peter’s Mission in Montana; their European ancestors immigrated from Odessa in the late 1800s and settled in an area of Southern Saskatchewan that is now the town of Balgonie. Danielle was born and raised in Moh’kinstsis—Calgary, Alberta on Treaty 7 territory and home to the Siksika (Blackfoot), Kainai (Blood), Piikani (Peigan), Stoney-Nakoda, and Tsuut'ina (Sarcee) First Nations and to the Otipemisiwak (Métis).

Subject and Collections Librarian for:

• Development Practice (GDP)
• Disability Studies (DIS)
• Indigenous Studies (IS)
• Women's and Gender Studies (WGS)

Contact Danielle

Credentials

• Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS), University of Alberta (2020)
• Bachelor of Arts with Honours, English, (BA Hons), first class, University of Calgary (2012)

Research Interests and Expertise

Indigenous Librarianship; Indigenous knowledge systems and ways of knowing; decolonizing practice in libraries

Featured Scholarly and Professional Work

• Hanson, A., Bitz, D.M. (Forthcoming) “Brought back to the Land.” In Lypka, C. & Hanson, A. (Eds.) Métis Voices: Our Words, Our Stories, Our Peoples.
• Bitz, D.M. (2023). Downstream. In L. Zvyagintseva & M. Greenshields (Eds.), Land and libraries: Towards a materialist conception of education. Library Juice Press.
• Bitz, D.M. (2022, May 3-6). Of Women, Wolves and Words: A Performance and discussion of “Rou Garous” [Conference Presentation]. Mawachihitotaak—Let’s Get Together, Métis Studies Symposium, Online.