Fact or Folklore? An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Framework to Cataloguing Indigenous Knowledge

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research-in-practice paper examines how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges are catalogued within Australian libraries. This paper will outline why Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges are not folktales and will argue against the use of the Library of Congress Subject Heading Folklore. This paper will explore the ways in which the University of Queensland Library have developed a culturally nuanced and holistic approach to cataloguing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges that engages Indigenous ways of organising, accessing and using information. This paper highlights the need for more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cataloguers and urges libraries to examine their own practices to build more accurate representations of the communities they serve.