{"id":421,"date":"2021-04-16T09:40:49","date_gmt":"2021-04-16T08:40:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/librarycollections\/?p=421"},"modified":"2021-04-16T09:42:25","modified_gmt":"2021-04-16T08:42:25","slug":"collections-reading-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/librarycollections\/2021\/04\/16\/collections-reading-group\/","title":{"rendered":"Collections reading group"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Richard Wragg – Collections Manager<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the last few months, the Collections Team have been meeting for a reading group. The texts we have chosen to discuss have all had a focus on decolonisation, equality and diversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reading group formed in response to the events of Summer 2020 – specifically the killing of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter protests and the wider conversations that developed around the role of the heritage sector in explaining contested histories. We wanted to undertake decolonisation work with our collections, but it soon became apparent that many of us lacked the knowledge that is required to make systemic changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I won’t write about what has been discussed in the reading group but would like to highlight some general principles to which we adhere. The first is that the group is a safe space to explore and challenge ideas. We recognise that we will make occasional missteps in both thought and language and that the reading group is an opportunity to develop our knowledge in a supportive environment without fear of criticism. Although reading groups are often a leisure activity, we also undertook to meet during work time, and to consider the reading a work activity. Finally, we all agreed that the reading group would be a catalyst for change within our working practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reading group is one of a number of activities in the Library related to decolonisation. Gradually, we are developing the knowledge and confidence to approach our work and collections with fresh perspective. New consideration is being given to how our collections are acquired, catalogued and accessed. We hope to update you on this work over the coming months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those who would like to learn more, some of the texts we have found particularly thought-provoking include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Olusoga, Black and British Migration<\/a> – (requires University of Sussex login)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Osa Admadasun, Black People Don’t Go To Galleries<\/a> –  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rachael Minott, The Past is Now<\/a> (requires University of Sussex login)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Library has also developed a Decolonisation reading list<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Richard Wragg – Collections Manager For the last few months, the Collections Team have been meeting for a reading group. The texts we have chosen to discuss have all had a focus on decolonisation, equality and diversity. The reading…<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more ›<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":339,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":""},"categories":[151104,96950,151045,181237,96951,191611,26,252,123513,191241],"tags":[179760,151045,151088,198510],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":304,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/librarycollections\/2021\/01\/22\/listening-to-sussexs-special-collections\/","url_meta":{"origin":421,"position":0},"title":"Listening to Sussex\u2019s Special Collections","date":"22 January 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"By Esther Gill - UOSH Project Manager The University of Sussex Special Collections at The Keep archive holds extensive material relating to 20th century literary, political and social history, as well as the history of the University. In amongst the books, manuscripts and images, are also boxes of open reel\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Special Collections"","img":{"alt_text":"Image of a box of tape cassettes from the Ten pound poms collection","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/librarycollections\/files\/2021\/01\/UOSH-Ten-Pound-Poms_Cassettes.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":793,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/librarycollections\/2023\/11\/06\/unboxing-and-mapping-black-history-in-sussex-library-legacy-collections\/","url_meta":{"origin":421,"position":1},"title":"Unboxing and Mapping Black History in Sussex Library Legacy Collections","date":"6 November 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Reposted from Decolonial Maps blog\u00a0by\u00a0Alice Corble. This summer the Library was blessed to host its first\u00a0Junior Research Associate (JRA): Myisha Box (History and International Relations BA student, now in her final year). The project was supervised by Gavin Mensah Coker and Anne-Marie Angelo, with a support team in the library\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Black History Month"","img":{"alt_text":"JRA Myisha Box with her poster: Mapping Sussex University Library\u2019s Black History Archives","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/librarycollections\/files\/2023\/11\/231106-JRAblog-MyishaBox-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":913,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/librarycollections\/2024\/02\/01\/introduction-to-the-university-of-sussex-rare-book-collections\/","url_meta":{"origin":421,"position":2},"title":"Introduction to the University of Sussex Rare Book collections","date":"1 February 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"We are lucky at the University of Sussex Special Collections to have a number of fabulous and varied rare book collections, which are now part of the wonderful collections held at The Keep. As well as individual researchers ordering in our reading room, academics from Sussex and other universities use\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Uncategorised"","img":{"alt_text":"A person opening pages of 'The birds of America'. Each page appears to be about the size of their arm.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/librarycollections\/files\/2024\/02\/image-2.png?fit=675%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":67,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/librarycollections\/2020\/09\/08\/like-a-child-in-a-candy-store-a-historian-of-20th-century-west-africa-delves-into-the-blds-legacy-collection\/","url_meta":{"origin":421,"position":3},"title":"\u2018Like a child in a candy store\u2019 Gerardo Serra delves into the BLDS Legacy Collection","date":"8 September 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Before the spleen of writing, editing (and re-writing and re-editing) sets in, there is a fleeting moment in which the historian is like a child in a candy store, starry-eyed and gleefully lost. I experienced such a moment when, in 2016, I walked into the basement of what was then\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "BLDS (British Library for Development Studies)"","img":{"alt_text":"Front cover of the pamphlet Somali women in socialist construction, showing statue of woman on a plinth","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/librarycollections\/files\/2020\/12\/Somali-women-socialist-construction-scaled-e1606920568654.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":826,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/librarycollections\/2023\/12\/20\/archiving-and-administering-the-library-and-afras-at-sussex-guest-blog-post\/","url_meta":{"origin":421,"position":4},"title":"Archiving and administering the Library and AFRAS at Sussex: guest blog post","date":"20 December 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Reposted from the Decolonial Maps of Library Learning blog By Alice Corble and Rhiann Tester This overdue blog post features a guest contributor, Rhiann Tester, Assistant Library Administrator at Sussex. I\u2019ll briefly introduce the context of our collaboration before handing over to Rhiann. Future blog posts will build on Rhiann\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "The Library"","img":{"alt_text":"Two lever files labeled 'Library Committee Papers' and 'AFRAS School Meetings 7th Autumn 65 - 35th Summer 71'","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/librarycollections\/files\/2023\/12\/Library-AFRAS-folders-1024x768-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":990,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/librarycollections\/2024\/04\/19\/whats-going-on-in-the-library-wellbeing-area-connector-programme\/","url_meta":{"origin":421,"position":5},"title":"What\u2019s going on in the Library Wellbeing Area? \u2013 Connector Programme","date":"19 April 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Exciting changes are happening!\u00a0 The Library Wellbeing Area is currently under redevelopment with the help of four Student Connectors, Katie, Elena, Mariola and Chloe.\u00a0 A seating area, display of Wellbeing and Leisure Reading books, and Listening area at The Wellbeing Area in Sussex Library. 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