The University of Oklahoma School of Library and Information Studies is proud to celebrate Professor Emeritus Lotsee Patterson, who was recently recognized with the 2026 Legacy Award from the Joint Council of Librarians of Color (JCLC). The award honors senior professionals whose long careers have made lasting contributions to the library and information profession.
A member of the Comanche Nation and a nationally recognized leader in tribal librarianship, Lotsee Patterson devoted her career to improving library services for Native communities and mentoring generations of librarians. Raised in southwestern Oklahoma, she began her professional life as a teacher before earning both her MLS and Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma. She later joined the OU School of Library and Information Studies faculty, where she became a full professor and helped shape the education of countless students.
Dr. Patterson’s influence extends far beyond the classroom. Beginning in the 1970s, she played a pivotal role in the development of tribal libraries across Oklahoma, New Mexico, and other Native communities. She helped establish libraries in Pueblo communities, was instrumental in the growth of what became the American Indian Library Association, and served as co-chair of the Advisory Committee for the Pre-White House Conference on Library and Information Services for Native Americans. Through her work with the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, she also helped advance federal support for tribal libraries, creating benefits that continue to serve Native nations today.
Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Patterson has received numerous honors from state and national organizations in recognition of her leadership, scholarship, and advocacy. Her latest award is a fitting tribute to a lifetime of service and to her enduring impact on tribal libraries, Indigenous librarianship, and library education. The OU SLIS community joins colleagues across the nation in congratulating Dr. Patterson on this well-deserved recognition and in celebrating the remarkable legacy she continues to build.
