Developing Indigenous Knowledge Centres.

This chapter discusses some of the State Library of Queensland's initiatives in relation to the development of library resources and services for Queensland's Indigenous peoples. (1) As the Chair of our Indigenous Advisory Committee and member of our Library Board, Lilla Watson said:

 
   By showing that respect to the Traditional owners, and Aboriginal 
   protocols, we acknowledge that it was not shown in the past: land 
   was just taken; our women were taken; many of our children were 
   taken; and the bones of our ancestors were taken, often as curios, 
   without any record of their names or country; artefacts and sacred 
   objects were taken and displayed in public here and overseas; 
   stories were taken, and often embellished, modified and published 
   without acknowledgement, and 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. (2) 

As an introduction to this chapter, in our view, Lilla's words are apt. We believe that for libraries, as custodians of knowledge and charged with ensuring that there is universal access to information, it is important to remind ourselves of the complexities when dealing with Indigenous materials. We believe the work we are doing at the State Library of Queensland is not only helping to provide library and information services to Indigenous peoples but is also challenging libraries to respond to the needs and history of Indigenous peoples, and add to the reconciliation process for all.

The Indigenous Knowledge Centres represent, in a very real example, the two-way learning process between the State Library and Indigenous communities throughout Queensland. Recognising that Indigenous peoples in Australia maintain a strong oral tradition, and working with the most remote communities in Queensland's Cape York and Torres Strait regions, the State Library has over the last two years established nine Indigenous Knowledge Centres at New Mapoon, Lockhart River, Wujal Wujal, Pormpuraaw, Aumkun, Injinoo, Darnley Island, Mabuiag Island and Pomma Island. These Indigenous Knowledge Centres are the first of 31 which will be established as a priority of the Indigenous Library Services Strategy. This process has involved challenging traditional library models and developing and exploring the potential for libraries to meet the knowledge needs of Indigenous peoples.

The Indigenous Knowledge Centres are one part of a set of initiatives being implemented by the state library to improve services for Indigenous Australians and…