[1] The library is notable for its approaches to organizing First Nations knowledge and major collections and holdings in a way that expresses Indigenous thought and culture.

The collection was maintained in conjunction with the University of British Columbia's (UBC) NITEP Indigenous Teacher Education Program.

[7] The library began digitizing materials related to the First Nations House of Learning Longhouse in 2008, with the goal of sharing university resources with Aboriginal people worldwide.

[8] As of 2015, the library held over 15,000 items, consisting primarily of Indigenous materials,[4] including those produced by First Nations peoples, organizations, schools, and tribal councils.

Its primary structure is called a Kekuli in the Chinook jargon, a S7istken in Ucwalmicwts (Lil’wat nation), and a pit house in English.