The State Library of
New South Wales has a strong commitment to developing services and collections
for Indigenous Australian people and communities. Library staff are actively
engaged in conversations about how they can work respectfully with Indigenous content,
and staff are openly encouraged to discuss issues around the management of
historical collections.
Today’s post is a Q
& A about some of these issues.
Why do information
and images relating to Aboriginal culture in Australia need to be handled with
care when GLAM organisations (galleries, libraries, archives and museums) use
it online and in social media channels? What are the issues to be
thinking about?
It is often the case
that Indigenous communities are unaware that collections have been created that
relate to themselves and/or their families, and often these materials were
collected without their informed consent. Some items in collections may
“secret, sacred or sensitive” (ATSILIRN, 2010) Some collections may include
items about culture and country that are collectively owned by a family and/or
community. For example, some historical images may document places of
significance for the community (ceremonial or burial). Some images may be
sensitive because they document a particular place like a government or church
institution associated with the stolen generations. Without knowing the full
historical context and the provenance of these collections, access may cause
distress or ongoing trauma for those from whom it relates.
The Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Protocols for Libraries, Archives and Information
Services (http://atsilirn.aiatsis.gov.au/protocols.php) provide guidance and a framework for
library and archives staff to think about best practice in handling these
materials. It is important to consider that there may be a continuity of
cultural connections between contemporary people and items in a heritage
collection. This may require institutions to make contact with that group and
discuss the process of access and use of the material. Relationships are an
important part of building trust between institutions and communities in
regards to the collections that they hold. It is good practice to know what
material can be shared freely, and what material in your collections might be
considered to be sensitive.
One of the additional
challenges of sharing information on social media channels is the potential
that contextual information may be separated from the image. For example,
heritage images shared via Instagram are subject to their terms of use and the
opportunity to provide context and information is limited to the comments field
with no live links to further information. At the State Library of NSW, staff
procedures for selecting collection material when using social media tools
include guidance based on the ATSILIRN protocols. Read more about
applying the ATSILIRN protocols to the use of social media in Libraries in our
paper from the ALIA Online 2015 conference http://information-online.alia.org.au/content/digital-engagement-and-atsilirn-protocols-indigenous-australian-experiences-and-expertise
But, isn’t published
information that’s older than 70+ years automatically out of copyright?
Should old published information and photographs depicting Aboriginal
culture automatically be in the public domain?
Australian Indigenous
culture is considered to be one of the oldest living cultures in the world. The
arrival of the British has had a major impact on the ways in which Indigenous
people have been able to practice culture. Collections may depict many
aspects of history and culture ranging from the documenting cultural ceremonies
and practices as well as recording other aspects such as word lists and
languages.
Although the legal
copyright terms associated with historical collections held in GLAM
institutions may have expired, the moral rights of communities need to be
considered. This is particularly relevant where historical collections
may have been created and acquired without appropriate permissions and consent
from the people that are the subject of the collections. Their consent, even if
it had been given, may not have been recorded. These materials are vital
for Aboriginal people to reclaim and reconnect with their own history and
culture. This provides an opportunity for present and future generations to
gain an understanding of the past.
What’s my role as a
library professional? What are the best practice guidelines to use in my work?
Who can I ask for advice on consulting with communities?
- Investigate
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Protocols for Libraries,
Archives and Information Services (http://atsilirn.aiatsis.gov.au/protocols.php)
- Read Digital engagement and the ATSILIRN protocols: indigenous Australian experiences and expertise guiding the use of social media in libraries by Kirsten Thorpe and Mylee Joseph
- For more information on Indigenous Services at the State Library of NSW visit the web page: http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/services/indigenous/index.html
- Follow our Indigenous Services Tumblr blog: http://indigenous-services-slnsw.tumblr.com/
- Explore
the Rediscovering Indigenous Languages Project: http://indigenous.sl.nsw.gov.au/
Monica Galassi, MyleeJoseph (@myleejoseph) and Kirsten Thorpe (@kirstythorpe)
State Library of New South Wales
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