Inclusive Collections, Inclusive Libraries is an RLUK programme of events that aims to foster conversation around decolonisation and inclusive practice in collecting, describing, presenting, and engaging with content in research library collections. It seeks to raise awareness about the opportunities and challenges of dealing with, contextualising, and engaging with offensive collections while also identifying and sharing examples of good practice.
Towards equity and inclusion through special collections and archives – Part II
Monday 20 October, 14:00 – 15:30 (BST), 15:00 – 16:30 (CEST/SAST), 16:00 – 17:30 (EEST), 09:00 – 10:30 (EDT), 21:00 – 22:30 (AWST/CST)
Building on the success of a previous event on this theme, this seminar features three case studies demonstrating how special and heritage collections support research libraries in advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Speakers will share examples of good practice, from amplifying underrepresented voices to ensuring long-term accessibility through inclusive approaches.
This event draws inspiration from the recently published position paper, ‘On Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: a position paper by RLUK’s Special Collections and Heritage Network’. This position paper includes five objectives which underline the collective commitment of professionals in the network to EDI. The paper can also be used as a framework for helping institutions meet their EDI goals.
– Special for Everyone: Embedding EDI at Newcastle University Special Collections
Ian Johnson and Geraldine Hunwick will talk about Special for Everyone, Newcastle University Special Collections’ multi-stranded project to address EDI in Special Collections at Newcastle University. They will outline the work they have carried out through the project to develop and apply signposting for difficult and problematic material in the collections, and some of the project’s engagement work to illuminate hidden voices and neglected narratives. They will also talk specifically about the outputs of work with Dr Lucy Havens to apply Machine Learning models to identify gender bias in their archival catalogues’ metadata descriptions, thanks to a Research and Innovation Grant from The National Archives.
Geraldine Hunwick is Senior Archivist in Special Collections at Newcastle University, and has led on coordinating Special for Everyone, Newcastle University Special Collections’ multi-stranded project to address EDI in Special Collections at Newcastle University.
Ian Johnson is Head of Special Collections & Archives at Newcastle University, and leads on digital scholarship initiatives through strategic collaborations, including exploring gender bias through machine learning.
– Queer Perspective in the Archive: Exploring the outputs of an LGBTQ+ Internship
Rosaleen Willians, LGBTQ+ Intern, shares insights from her work with the University of Leeds Cultural Collections and Galleries. Rosaleen has worked to explore and celebrate queer narratives in the University’s collections, particularly around encouraging a queer perspective when researching archival material. From medieval manuscripts to modern feminist zines, this talk will explore the challenges and possibilities around accessibility and representation of LGBTQ+ stories. Holly Smith, Archivist at Leeds, will be participating in the Q&A discussion at the event.
Rosaleen Williams is an MA student in Art Gallery and Museum Studies at the University of Leeds, with a particular interest in archival practice, historiography and ‘hidden histories’. From January – July 2025, she worked as the LGBTQ+ intern at the university’s Cultural Collections.
Holly Smith is an archivist at the University of Leeds Cultural Collections and Galleries, where her work has a particular focus on inclusive cataloguing, representation in archives, and trauma-informed archival practice. This year, she has served as line manager for the LGBTQ+ internship programme, which aims to champion diverse archival narratives in their collections.
– Inclusive thinking: using collaborative methods to engage different audiences with ‘difficult collections’
This session will focus on the practitioner experience of collections-focused collaboration with a range of different audiences. The core example will be the recent Prejudice in Power project, that consisted of a range of co-creation, community and academic initiatives that focussed on our holdings to respond to the university’s historic role in promoting eugenics. Sarah Aitchison and Erika Delbecque will also discuss wider collaborative activity in UCL Special Collections, focusing in particular on pedagogical approaches in the design and delivery of teaching and student projects centred on difficult knowledges and collections. In the session, they will share the lessons they have learnt and how they are embedding them into future practice.
Sarah Aitchison is Director of Special Collections at University College London, and manages a team with specialisms in archives, rare books, records management, academic support and teaching, outreach, conservation, digitisation and reader services. She has 30 years of experience in HE archives, with previous roles including Head of Archives at the Institute of Education in London. Sarah has also been co-chair of the Archives for Education and Learning Group, a mentor for the ARA Registration Scheme, and is currently a Trustee of the AIM25 group and a member of the UK Archive Service Accreditation Committee.
Erika Delbecque is Head of Rare Books and Academic Liaison at University College London, where she oversees the management of UCL’s rare print collections as well as academic teaching and research support activity across the team. She is particularly interested in pedagogical approaches for teaching with primary source materials and in inclusive practice in describing, collecting and engaging with rare books. Erika is the current co-chair of the M25 Diversity Group and has been a member of the CILIP Rare Books and Special Collections Group committee.