Hosted on the Open Science Framework

It is increasingly common for researchers to publish their datasets in open, mediated, or restricted form as a research output. The process of publishing data is complex and there are few guides that are practical or easy to understand. To bridge this gap, the Digital Curation and Data team at the University of Sydney Library initiated a project to develop applied data publication resources. To reflect current University and Library strategies, the team expanded the project to include a cultural competence review of each newly developed resource in order to reflect on the cultural biases that had gone into its creation and the ways in which the resource might appear through alternative cultural lenses, initially focusing on the data publication needs for research relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It may be especially challenging for researchers who are working with culturally sensitive data to find resources that are easy to use and relevant. One initial goal of this project is to ensure that researchers, students and staff can support the ethical and culturally appropriate publication of data relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities, and knowledges. The team reviewed prototyped resources with researchers who conduct research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to assess their usefulness and identify gaps. Resources are now being updated to reflect feedback, and additional resources will also be created. The intention is to continue to integrate cultural competence into the University of Sydney’s data curation and publication services and to expand this process to include wider cultural perspectives.  

A library in a remote community believes it is the first to arrange its books according to Aboriginal cultural concepts, effectively turning its back on the Dewey Decimal System.

“Acknowledging that [Indigenous communities] have sovereignty over the material and that it is indeed not yours is one of the key things we’re trying to promote in the work that we’re doing with the archival community.”

TLAM helping preserve language.

For the past 26 years, the Xwi7xwa (pronounced “whei-wha”) Library at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver—the only Aboriginal branch of a university library system in Canada—has served as a model for how educational and community institutions can center the knowledge and experiences of the communities they serve by better representing them in the collections they share.

The remains of indigenous people from all over the world have ended up in various British institutions. Why do their descendants have so much trouble getting them returned?

A British museum has returned locks of an emperor’s hair to Ethiopia. But dealing with culturally sensitive objects is not always so simple.

Our Data, Our Sovereignty, Our Future

For years, the tribe had little say over the use of its cultural property. Now, thanks to recently reclaimed wax cylinders, its members can better preserve their traditions.

Digitized collections promise to make our cultural heritage radically open. But what if that cultural heritage is full of hate? As Tara Robertson   writes   of digitization, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.  In 2017, digital publisher Reveal Digital   began developing   a collection of

Digital resources provide an opportunity for improved preservation and access to indigenous archival information, but also new challenges when it comes to who has access.

November is Native American Heritage Month. Visit National Archives News for more information on related events and resources. Today’s post comes from DongEun Kim, a conservator at the Nation…

Indigitization is a collaborative initiative between BC Aboriginal groups and academic partners from the University of British Columbia and the University of Northern British Columbia to facilitate capacity building in Indigenous information management.