Indigenous Knowledge Centre Developments and the Indigenous Library Services Strategy

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Indigenous Knowledge Centre Developments and the
Indigenous Library Services Strategy
Sandi TaylorActing Executive Manager Indigenous
Library Services State Library of Queensland
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• Working in the Indigenous context
• 2. The ILS Strategy and Community Capacity
  Building
• 3. Indigenous Knowledge Centres (IKCs) and
  Community Capacity Building

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1Many Ways Forward Report of the inquiry into
capacity building and service delivery in
Indigenous communities (House of Reps Standing
Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Affairs, 2004)2National Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Social Survey 2002 (ABS,
2004)

• Indigenous Australians continue to have the
  lowest socio-economic profile of all
  Australians1.
• Indigenous Australians have the worst health of
  any group in Australia1.
• 38 of Indigenous people reported that they had
  either been removed themselves and/or had
  relatives who, as a child, had been removed from
  their natural family2.
• 22 of Indigenous people were living in their
  homelands or traditional country in 2002 54
  reported identification with a clan, tribal or
  language group and 68 had attended a cultural
  event in the last 12 months2.

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Let me begin by saying how very important
Aboriginal protocols are, and how important it is
to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land
we are on today. By showing that respect to the
Traditional Owners, and Aboriginal protocols, we
acknowledge that it was not shown in the past.
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Land was just taken. Our women were taken.
Many of our children were taken. The bones of
our ancestors were taken, often as curios,
without any record of their names or country.
Stories were taken, and often embellished,
modified and published without acknowledgement,
without respect for confidentiality, or protocols
of their secret status. Photos were taken,
again, many as curios and often published without
any consideration of the feelings of people
featured in them. Lilla Watson Library Board
of Queensland Member, Chair of Indigenous
Advisory Committee
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Library and
Information Resource Network (ATSILIRN) Protocols
http//www.cdu.edu.au/library/protocol.html
Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Policy http//www.datsip.qld.gov.au/resou
rces/cultures.cfm
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Indigenous Library Services StrategyImproving
access and equity
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• Establishing Indigenous Knowledge Centres in
  Cape York and Torres Strait regions
• Improving service delivery to Indigenous peoples
  through public libraries across Queensland
• Including services for Indigenous peoples in the
  Millennium Library Project
• Ensuring that Indigenous collections and culture
  are represented in public library spaces and,
• Increasing employment and training opportunities
  in libraries for Indigenous peoples.

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Indigenous Knowledge Centre Developments and
Community Capacity Building
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Indigenous Knowledge Centres in Cape York

• Established in
• New Mapoon
• Lockhart River
• Wujal Wujal
• Pormpuraaw
• Aurukun
• Injinoo
• From the Apunipima Health Council
• http//www.apunipima.org.au/

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• Indigenous
• Knowledge
• Centres in the
• Torres Strait
• Established in
• Darnley (Erub)
• Mabuiag
• Poruma
• From
• http//www.tsra.gov.au/MAP.JPG

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• Community Engagement
• Inclusive - connecting with those who are hardest
  to reach
• Reaching out - changing the ways government and
  the community work together
• Mutual Respect - listening, understanding and
  acting on experiences different from out own
• Integrity - engagement as a means of promoting
  integrity on the democratic processes of
  government
• Affirming Diversity - changing the processes of
  government to incorporate diverse values and
  interests

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Indigenous Knowledge Centres
New Mapoon
Photograph courtesy of The Courier Mail
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Community Jobs Plan
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Librarians in Communities

• Professional librarians work with local staff in
  established IKCs.
• Funded by State Library of Queensland in
  partnership with Indigenous Community Volunteers.
• Local Indigenous staff are mentored as they
  develop their IKCs.

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Librarians in Communities
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The very important relationship that is being
developed between the State Library and
Indigenous people, which is not only relevant to
Queensland, but also makes an important
contribution to setting a benchmark for the rest
of this country, for showing respect for correct
behaviour and protocols in any negotiations
regarding the publication of pictures or
documents pertaining to Aboriginal people and
Torres Strait Islanders Lilla WatsonLibrary
Board of Queensland Member, Chair of Indigenous
Advisory Committee
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Indigenous Knowledge Centres Cape York
Peninsular and Torres Strait Islands
http//www.slq.qld.gov.au