Narrative expansions: interpreting decolonisation in academic libraries

Abstract

Narrative expansions is an important book for all Australian library workers. It comes at a time when Australian academic libraries and indeed the entire library and information sector in the country is focusing more and more on the important task of decolonisation, as exemplified by strategic directions set by the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) with their Respecting Indigenous Knowledges program or similar efforts by the Australian Library and Information Association. The book addresses the topic of decolonisation in a very nuanced way, for instance when defining the term in the introduction chapter, questioning if anything can ever be truly decolonised when systems and organisations have been established by and within colonial structures. The editors Crilly and Everitt make the point that decolonisation should not be viewed as a project that can be ‘done’, but needs to be a shift in paradigm for it to be meaningful. They argue that it might be better to talk about diversifying and decentring knowledge and knowledge production, or about performing de-colonial acts, all depending on the context. The book also discusses related concepts such as antiracism, equality, diversity and inclusion. The editors acknowledge that defining and using terms for Non-White people is difficult because it ‘others’ large groups of people and lumps them together. This is reflected in the fact that different authors use different terms in the various chapters. In two different sections, the book highlights how attempts at decolonising have been made and are being made in academic library contexts, moving between theoretical explorations and examples of practical applications. There are chapters on student voice, research methodologies, staff diversity, information literacy, LIS education and decolonising classification schemes to give just a few examples. The book also includes reflections of authors on their experiences with libraries and academic libraries as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students growing up in the UK. The authors of the book are mostly based or affiliated with academic institutions in the UK, with some voices from the United States, Canada and Kenya and references to events in South Africa. Australia is notably absent from that list, apart from one reference to a research project. This, however, does not make the book any less relevant to an Australian audience (and maybe volume two will focus on Australia!). Despite the sections addressing theoretical principles, the book is easy to read –mostly due to the fact that large parts are either case studies, or recollections and reflections of authors of their own lived experience with libraries. There are also a lot of references after each chapter to allow for deeper exploration of the topics. The book is available in print and as an ebook, so there is really no excuse to ignore its invitation to learn about how we can work on decolonising collections, services and spaces in our libraries.