Dr. Lotsee Patterson (Comanche) was born to James Earl Patterson and Merrell (Dietrich) Patterson on an Indian allotment east of Apache, Oklahoma. She raised five children as a single parent while sustaining a fifty-year career.

Patterson graduated from Apache High School, earned a Bachelor's degree from Oklahoma College for Women, and a Master's and PhD from the University of Oklahoma. Patterson's career in higher education included faculty appointments at the University of New Mexico, Texas Women's University, and the University of Oklahoma. Patterson retired from the University of Oklahoma in 2008 as Professor Emeritus.

Best known for her work establishing libraries on Indian reservations, some forty years later more than 300 of them continue to serve Native People on reservations throughout the United States. Dr. Patterson was also an effective recruiter of Native Americans into the profession of librarianship, an enduring legacy to her people and profession. Patterson was also a founder of the American Indian Library Association (AILA). Patterson was also one of the original drafters of the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials, a guiding document for archives and archival professionals in their work with Tribal communities.

Dr. Patterson's service includes the Board of Trustees for the Comanche Nation College, and on numerous state and national professional committees and boards.

In 2007, Patterson was appointed by President George W. Bush and Senate confirmed as a member of the Advisory Board for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the nation's primary institution for libraries and museums.

Patterson has received numerous awards and accolades over her career, including three American Library Association Awards including its highest honor, that of Honorary Membership. Patterson has also received awards from the Oklahoma Library Association, the American Indian Library Association, the Native American Libraries Special Interest Group in New Mexico, Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums, and Oklahoma University.

During her academic career, Patterson served as a consultant to the Smithsonian Institution, numerous Indian tribes, the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, the Library of Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and to numerous universities, professional organizations, publishers, and corporations.

Dr. Patterson has contributed to more than 18 books; 49 journal articles, proceedings, and reports; given more than 70 presentations and invited lectures, and conducted more than 20 workshops.

Biography excerpted from draft obituary provided by Dr. Patterson to the library.