Text: developing inclusive collections case study on yellow background.

Case Study Participant 3

 

1. What would you say are the soft skills or attributes and types of knowledge that are necessary for getting started with decolonisation in a role that is similar to yours? 

  • Critical thinking
  • Emotional intelligence and resilience
  • Patience
  • Attention to detail
  • Communication

2. Please give examples of where soft skills and personal attributes have proven useful to you during any stage of collection-based decolonisation.

  • Emotional intelligence and resilience.

It is necessary to research what kind of offensive language is out there before you can see if it is included in the archive catalogue. Discovering this language and what it means can be disturbing. 

  • Patience and attention to detail.

It can become a somewhat laborious process. In our case, it has proven much more likely than not that the offensive language we are searching does not return any results in the archive catalogue. (This is, of course, a positive thing!)  The repetitive process of searching is not the most intellectually stimulating but it demands constant attention to detail to make sure nothing is missed. 

  • Critical thinking

It must be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and is rarely clear cut. For example, a word may be considered offensive in one context and not in another. Or perhaps a word may indeed be considered offensive, but it is crucial to the understanding of the record that it describes. 

3. How can someone starting out in a similar role get an introduction to collection-based decolonisation and develop a basic skill-set/ knowledge/ awareness? What can this process entail? Please suggest any resources and approaches.

We have found Carissa Chew’s website incredibly useful. This is also where we have taken our lists of terminology to search for. 

4. How does an advanced collection-based decolonisation skillset/ expert knowledge look like from your perspective (including soft and specialised skills)? 

You cannot become an expert. Learning is continuous. You must be prepared to seek out resources and the opinions of others throughout the process. 

5. How can someone in a similar role further develop their skills/ knowledge/ awareness in collection-based decolonisation and build an expert skill-set? What can this process entail? 

As above – question 3 and 4.

6. Please add any other thoughts or advice you may have for those who want to develop their skills and knowledge in collection-based decolonisation.

Some things that you encounter will not have an easy yes or no answer or right or wrong approach. You must do the best you can based on the resources available to you. Always keep a record of why any decisions have been made.