@misc{AthumaniHangoKramreither2025, author = {Athumani Hango, Birgit and Kramreither, Birgit}, title = {Ethical Handling of Collections @ Vienna University Library - „Colonial Contexts - Decolonize the Library!" and eda}, series = {Themenkreis 6: Kulturgut und Kulturdaten erhalten und aktivieren/ Decolonisation (26.06.2025, 14:00 - 15:30, Halle 4.1./ Raum IV (mit Streaming))}, journal = {Themenkreis 6: Kulturgut und Kulturdaten erhalten und aktivieren/ Decolonisation (26.06.2025, 14:00 - 15:30, Halle 4.1./ Raum IV (mit Streaming))}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0290-opus4-199062}, year = {2025}, abstract = {Vienna University Library is Austria's largest library and the oldest university library in the German-speaking area, dating from 1365 with a collection of about 7.6 million items. One main library and 36 special libraries serve almost 90.000 students. On the initiative of two head librarians - Birgit Athumani Hango (African and Middle Eastern Studies Library) and Birgit Kramreither (Social and Cultural Anthropology Library, Ethnographic data archive) - a working group was launched in 2021 to start a decolonization process. Main objectives are to raise awareness of the need for a decolonization process, increase public visibility of structural racism and empower library users and staff. In 2024 we started a workshop series to raise awareness for structural racism and discrimination. We hold special library tours for users and show insights in dealing with racist and discriminating content. Our most visible achievement is a content notice ("Denkzettel") to empower users to take action and put discrimination on notice. We implemented a special book collection critical of racism „KRIT" (physical and virtual) in our textbook collection to raise awareness. Further projects are: put "global south" on acquisition agenda, provide assistance (publisher lists) and install safer spaces for BIPOCs, work on a "decolonize the library"-handout for librarians and start contextualize collections on shelves and websites. Ethical handling of collections is even about collections like the Ethnographic Data Archive (eda) which deals with long-term archiving of ethnological field research data, historical photos and glass slides. The sensitive handling of discriminatory, derogatory material or material obtained from an injustice context is a particular challenge. The consideration of CARE and FAIR principles and the use of disclaimers ensure an ethically respectful representation of sensitive content, especially with digital content from colonial contexts.}, language = {en} }