@misc{MewesBruns2025, author = {Mewes, Maike and Bruns, Jantje}, title = {Decolonizing a Museum Library}, 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))}, year = {2025}, abstract = {As part of the wider decolonization process of the ethnographic Museum am Rothenbaum, World Cultures and Arts (MARKK) in Hamburg, formerly known as the Museum f{\"u}r V{\"o}lkerkunde, the museum library has embarked on a decolonization process of its own. This process touches on diverse spheres of work in the library, including cataloguing practices, systematization, acquisitions and public communication. We work with materials from colonial contexts that have been published during a period of stark power divide containing a range of problematic contents such as derogatory and discriminating terms, concepts and perspectives as well as depictions based on racism. These are important primary sources in the examination and critical analysis of colonial history and its enduring ramifications. But as a publicly accessible library, we cannot presume our visitors to know why such materials are available. We have taken steps to communicate more transparently with the public about the materials in our collection, starting with a statement published on our website and in the reading room. We encourage critical engagement with our holdings, invite visitors' help in identifying blind spots in our collection where colonial perspectives stand unchallenged by current literature, and welcome acquisition suggestions. In our presentation, we will outline our process, experiences and challenges as a small team attempting to decolonize a museum library and engaging the public in this process.}, language = {en} }