Librarians told to challenge ‘paradigm of whiteness’ in Welsh Labour anti-racism plan

Librarians in Wales may be trained to challenge the “paradigm of whiteness” as part of Welsh Labour anti-racism plans.

The devolved Government has provided funding that aims to “eradicate” systemic racism in libraries by training staff in “anti-racist principles”.

Anti-racist and “inclusive” libraries can be achieved by challenging the “dominant paradigm of whiteness”, according to a preliminary report.

The report, which will inform future training, highlights the “crucial role” that “critical whiteness studies” can play in transforming public libraries.

It forms part of a project backed by £130,000 of government funding, which will address “colonial attitudes” and seek to create “new historic narratives”.

In the report, it states: “By critically examining and challenging the dominant paradigm of whiteness, LIS (library information science) professionals can work towards creating more just and inclusive institutions that serve all members of their communities.”

It adds that “Critical race theory (CRT), critical heritage studies, and critical whiteness studies play a crucial role in understanding and addressing issues of institutional racism in library and information science.”

The report is part of an effort across the cultural sector in Wales to comply with the Labour government’s 2022 Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan, which sought to set the  “right historical narrative”.

The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) in Wales secured government funding for a project titled Anti-racist Library Collections, which will seek to transform libraries by rolling out new training for staff.

A report commissioned to set out what this training should entail includes a review of anti-racist texts, intended to explain some “effective strategies” and “best practices”.

This sets out the value in challenging “whiteness”, and also explains that “decolonising libraries is essential”, and suggests “prioritising the acquisition of materials authored by ethnic minority people”.

The report warns that efforts to train librarians may meet with resistance because of their possible “white fragility” and “blindness to white privilege”.

The report is the first phase of a project to make libraries “anti-racist”, and will inform future training, which organisations can apply to provide through a public tender process, claiming a contract worth more than £20,000.

‘Understanding of institutional racism’

It is hoped the training commissioned by CILIP, with the help of government funding, will be developed and rolled out this year.

In CILIP’s call for a training provider, it states that “library staff will be encouraged to see their diverse collections as powerful community tools” which can be used for “co-producing new historic narratives”.

Any training should “foster a deep understanding of institutional racism” and make library staff “agents of change”.

The plans come as part of a Welsh government ambition to make all institutions agents change in an effort to make Wales “anti-racist by 2030”.

Local councils are expected to tackle statues of contested historical figures as part of this plan, possibly by removing or hiding them.

Museums and galleries are also expected to set the “right historical” narrative and address colonialism, no matter how tenuous their links to empire.

The Big Pit National Coal Museum was founded to tell the story of one of Wales’s historic industries, but is among the institutions which must offer a “decolonised” view of the past that recognises “historical injustices”.

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We are committed to creating an Anti-racist Wales and supporting organisations in becoming more inclusive.”

CILIP has been contacted for comment.