State Library of NSW launches new and first Indigenous Collecting Strategy positioning Indigenous voices as a priority.
Indigenous Voices to be heard loud and clear in the future is the motto of the newly launched Indigenous Collecting Strategy of the State Library of NSW.
Kirsten Thorpe, Manager of Indigenous Services at the State Library of NSW says that one of the Librarys roles is to collect documentary heritage of NSW.
But most of the librarys collections about Aboriginal people are written by non-aboriginal people.
Kirsten Thorpe also said that the State Library of NSW usually collects material in all formats including paintings, manuscripts and digital form. Now it is looking at expanding oral collections of Indigenous history in the form of interviews of Indigenous leaders.
Whilst enhancing its Indigenous collections, the State Library is also making sure that there is informed consent.
Hence, it is building into its new strategy important mechanisms that will ensure proper protection of copyright and intellectual property as well as community ownership of information.
