This Library Takes an Indigenous Approach to Categorizing Books
For over a century, the traditional Dewey Decimal classification system
has dictated how libraries organize their collections. Yet the way
information is sorted conveys a lot about what's prioritized and what's
left out. Xwi7xwa Library (pronounced whei-wha) at the University of
British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada is working to change the way
materials on indigenous cultures are sorted in an effort to challenge
Western, colonial bias and better represent the knowledge of Indigenous
peoples. Books on indigenous communities often get sorted into the
history section, failing to recognize their present-day roots, and are
organized alphabetically, a system which typically excludes Native
American languages that use non-Roman characters in the spelling of
certain words. Read more to learn how Xwi7xwa is creating a welcoming
environment for its indigenous students and expanding the knowledge and
understanding of the larger community.
https://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/decolonize-western-bias-indigenous-library-books-20190322
https://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/decolonize-western-bias-indigenous-library-books-20190322