A practical publication, but also an appeal

The people behind the new guide certainly cannot be accused of failing to promote their work. Hot off the press – figuratively speaking, as it has so far only been published digitally – the guide was given a preview at BiblioCon and is now being presented at a series of further events.

A hybrid presentation as part of the UBimPulse lecture series on 29 June 2026 also demonstrated the considerable interest among library staff and provenance researchers. The fact that the new guide is not the work of a single individual but draws on the expertise of numerous authors was apparent not only from the five people seated in the red armchairs. As Julia Zenker emphasised in her introduction, the intellectual network of contributors is considerably larger: 19 authors from academia and the library sector, 22 expert reviewers and eight discussion partners contributed their advice and expertise, including library directors from four Goethe-Instituts in countries such as Senegal and Thailand. The guide builds on discussions held at a number of previous events and workshops devoted to individual aspects of the subject.

The importance of the guide quickly becomes abundantly clear: according to Zenker, it addresses three areas that libraries have to contend with: a) bodies of knowledge acquired during the colonial period, b) books and printed materials that entered collections from former colonies as collection items, and c) a wide range of primary and secondary literature examining colonialism. The degree to which those concerned are affected varies depending on whether they are researchers, descendants of those being researched, members of groups that were written about, or people affected by racism. What is more, focusing solely on books or printed materials does not go far enough: libraries also hold photographs, films, sound recordings and archival material, as was likewise emphasised during the presentation.

The presentation followed the chapter structure of the guide, which was an easily comprehensible if not particularly innovative approach. “Colonial Contexts in Libraries”, “Provenance Research”, “Collection Presentation”, “Acquisitions” and “Metadata” were presented in turn through a series of brief overviews. The underlying key questions were often raised, although illustrative examples were provided only occasionally, most notably by Lars Müller in relation to provenance research. These included a Bible stolen from Maqdala in Ethiopia in 1868 and subsequently restituted, the well-known “Witbooi Bible” at the Linden Museum and papyri held in German libraries – cases that underline the crucial role that the politically contentious issue of “restitution” plays for libraries, too.

The presentation offered less in the way of practical guidance – not least because of time constraints – but the examples that were mentioned demonstrated the potential of the guidelines. One example was Julia Zenker’s discussion of legal uncertainties relating to copyright, unequal treatment and data protection. 
The limitations were also openly acknowledged within the brief time available: not every library can collect everything. How can publications from African publishers be acquired, for example? What about critical literature not written in German or English? And how should the disposal of holdings be handled – an issue that cannot necessarily be compared with “deaccessioning” in museums.

In the guide itself, each chapter concludes with recommendations for action, although these sometimes appear rather general. Where proactive outreach to initiate cooperation is recommended, for example, it would have been helpful to provide examples of institutions, university departments or umbrella organisations that might be approached. But above all, the recommendations encourage processes and reflection, as well as offering suggestions that appear feasible. As Lars Müller rightly emphasises, the first check is a useful tool for carrying out a preliminary examination of collections.

Comparisons were repeatedly drawn: provenance research relating to the Nazi dictatorship is well established in libraries, but when it comes to colonial contexts, “we are still at the beginning”, as Müller put it. Zenker also pointed to the pioneering role of museums in producing guidelines and practical assistance, for example, while Moritz Strickert stressed that when it comes to subject indexing, metadata and databases, “libraries are particularly well equipped”. The aim of these comparisons was not to draw distinctions, but rather to open up scope for mutual learning and cross-fertilisation.

One question raised at the event remained unanswered: who is the guide actually aimed at? For one thing, the fact that it is currently available only in German severely limits its potential readership and means that it is initially aimed primarily at staff at German libraries, not least due to the setting of the event. This is perfectly legitimate, but sits somewhat uneasily with the frequently expressed aim of engaging in dialogue with representatives of communities of origin and the so-called Global South. Nor are there any references to existing partnerships that might provide inspiration in this regard. The English version is due to be published in the autumn, however, and this can be expected to broaden the guide’s readership.

There is another reason why defining public library staff as the primary target group seems too narrow: museums with their own in-house libraries containing early (colonial) holdings should also be addressed. Indeed, given the repeated references during the event to the “pioneering role” of museums, they too would appear to be an important target group. Issues surrounding subject indexing, inaccurate and racist attributions, and databases arise there in much the same way.

One point repeatedly emphasised was the need to involve migrant and diasporic groups and draw on their expertise in building up libraries’ own diverse book collections. Nor should libraries run by internationalist initiatives such as the “Third World and solidarity movement” be overlooked: these have long engaged with oppression and colonialism and hold extensive collections of so-called grey literature.

The guide is jointly published by the German Library Association (dbv) and the Association of Austrian Librarians. Switzerland is conspicuous by its absence, which is regrettable: it would be desirable for several German-speaking countries to be represented.

Finally, the political relevance of the guide deserves particular emphasis: at a time when efforts to address the legacy of colonialism are losing ground and both public and university libraries are facing austerity pressures – depriving them of urgently needed funding for acquisitions and the development and expansion of their collections – another group of stakeholders is committing itself to critically engaging with this legacy. So it is no coincidence that the word “appeal” came up repeatedly during the event: an appeal for stronger networks with communities, for investment, for critical self-examination and for political engagement.

It is therefore to be hoped that the guide will be taken up not only by publicly funded libraries but will also reach interested library users and private individuals who are not put off by supposed “trigger words” such as postcolonialism.

The publication Koloniale Kontexte in Bibliotheken. Ein Leitfaden can be downloaded free of charge at https://edoc.hu-berlin.de/items/57ddf897-50e1-43e9-ac59-85e3f84a2199 . A print edition will follow in the summer. An English-language version is due to be published in the autumn.