Developing inclusive collections: understanding current practices and needs of RLUK research libraries

Decolonisation as a practice has increasingly gained a prominent place in the strategic agenda of academic and research libraries as a way to re-contextualise collections, combat biases and uncover hidden voices. Many Research Libraries UK (RLUK) institutions have engaged in decolonisation activities as part of their goals to develop inclusive collections and equitable practices and contribute towards broader decolonisation efforts in their home institutions.

RLUK has published a report documenting the current practices and needs of its member institutions when developing initiatives that aim to make collections more diverse and inclusive. The focus of the report is on decolonisation efforts and the needs of professionals that lead or support them in terms of training and skills development. The motivation for this study was to understand the challenges that research libraries currently face with regards to decolonisation practice with the aim of providing more targeted support for the RLUK community.