Liberate our Library

As part of the Library’s strategy, we will engage with the aims of LTAS commitment to 'Liberate our degrees'.

• We will work to diversify our collections, to de-centre Whiteness, to challenge non-inclusive structures in knowledge management and their impact on library collections, users, and services
• We will take an intersectional approach to our liberation work to encompass the many parts of a person’s identity

We are doing this work to decolonise and diversify our collections as part of an effort to ensure the library collections speak to all voices, particularly those that are traditionally underrepresented in curricula and on reading lists.

We want to work in a collaborative way with our users in identifying the subject areas that do not address their experiences and identities, and where the canon excludes them.  Please see below about how you can make suggestions for purchase.

How we are doing this

We are working alongside Goldsmiths Students’ Union to ensure access, inclusion, and robust learning support for all our students.

Purchasing new books and resources as part of 'Liberate our degrees'

Students and staff can make new book suggestions as part of ‘Liberate our degrees’.

If you would like to suggest an item for purchase, use the item request form and select ‘Yes’ for the 'Liberate our degrees' initiative question.

You can also make suggestions by emailing: acquisitions (@gold.ac.uk), with the Subject line: Liberate.

All suggestions bought will be discoverable as a collection in Library Search. 

You can view all the books and resources for Goldsmiths ‘Liberate our Degree’ by searching for the keyword ‘liberatemydegree’ on Library Search.

Decolonising the curriculum

Collaborating with academic departments and students to identify marginalised groups not represented in the curriculum, and reflect those groups in the acquisition of learning and teaching resources.

Diversifying Reading Lists

Collaborating with teaching staff to create decolonised and inclusive Reading Lists to better represent the identities and experiences of our student body.

Examples created by the library include:

• Black Lives Matter
• Pride & LGBT+ History Month
• Disability – by Leah Clements
• Liberate Our Library
• Decolonising Research Methods – by Sara Ewing
• Counter Canon Reading List by the Goldsmiths Racialised Postgraduate Network (GRPN)

Resistance Researching Workshops

We offer a series of workshops designed to help students think more critically about how we find and why we use information from a social justice perspective. Come along to try out some practical techniques to expand your research horizons and learn about ‘Liberate our Library’. 

Examples include:

• Resistance Researching: A Critical Approach to Information Gathering - This workshop aims to empower participants to understand why all the books they need aren’t shelved in one place in the library, to critically assess bias in library systems, and to proactively seek multiple perspectives in information gathering
• Resistance Researching: Inclusive Citation - This workshop aims to enable participants to understand that academic references and citations have a purpose (and a power) beyond plagiarism, and provide practical tips on how to resist privileging dominant voices by engaging in a practice of inclusive citation

See the Academic Support page for further details.

Liberate! Zines Collection

The Liberate! Zines Collection is an ongoing project and a dedicated space for recognising the intersectionality of struggles for black, POC (People of Colour), LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex and Asexual), disabled, women and otherwise institutionally oppressed groups through listening and including the voices of the most marginalised. The zines collection at Goldsmiths will support work around decolonising the curriculum. You can make suggestions for purchase by filling in the form below or emailing: acquisitions (@gold.ac.uk), with the Subject line: Liberate! zines.

Racial Justice work

We are contributing to Goldsmiths' racial justice work with staff members on the Racial Justice Strategic Board, Anti-racism training group, and the Advance HE Race Equality Charter Self-assessment team (REC SAT).

Events

We are collaborating with Goldsmiths Students’ Union on exhibitions and events using the Library space.

Work with us

We want to work with you, so if there are other ways you’d like us to contribute to the Liberation agenda, please contact library (@gold.ac.uk).