Author: Oonagh Monaghan

Academic Subject Librarian for Psychology and Sport Science

New Library dedicated Decolonisation and EDI area for display and promotion

Oonagh Monaghan / / arts, decolonisation, Display, Library, Reimagining Lincolnshire, Special Collections, Uncategorized

The Library Subject Librarians Hope Williard and Oonagh Monaghan have been active in researching decolonising initiatives at other Higher Education libraries. Attendance at conferences and liaison with librarians across the sector has enabled us to produce our own University of Lincoln decolonising guide for academic staff and students. The next step is to make the work we are already doing more visible. The aim is to embed decoloniality into the physical space of the library. The prospective projects have been grouped into the following four areas: 

  • Revealing coloniality of existing collections 
  • Challenging coloniality 
  • Researching decoloniality 
  • Embracing and extending decoloniality

 

In addition to new resources, sinage and use of the winning design in the recent competition, a permanent space in the Library has been allocated and we are now at the stage where we have the plans in place and materials ordered or arrived and we hope that the space will develop over the first term of 2022.

Illustrated image of ear as question mark with words 'Whose voice are you hearing?'
Winning design by Cherry Wright (Ccrow Illustration) Instagram @worldofccrow 

We want to reveal coloniality with the aim to share with our students, staff, and library community the ways that our practices of organising, displaying, and sharing information are shaped by colonial worldviews and outlooks. 

We want to challenge coloniality by drawing on existing resources and highlighting new developments in the library, this strand aims to spotlight information and resources which challenge the colonial worldviews, allowing those who interact with it to broaden their knowledge and perspectives. 
We want to research coloniality and collaborate, support, and promote research within the university relating to decolonisation. A particular focus of this area is the emerging project on zines, and efforts to actively engage with the university’s student as producer initiatives and internal funding schemes. 
In the final strand we want to embrace and extend decoloniality and propose initiatives which would allow library staff and the wider university community to extend their knowledge of decoloniality and apply this knowledge in the workplace and beyond. 
scale plan of decolonising area on ground floor of Library
Part of this work is about developing awareness in the physical space of the Library and developing a dedicated Decolonisation and EDI area for display and promotion.  Oonagh Monaghan has collaborated with two Interior Architecture academics, Raymund Konigk and Zakkiya Khan on the design of the area to showcase:

    • resources in the Library that show the diverse range of voices already in the collection. 

    • Reveal and raise awareness of historical and colonial injustices which are embedded in the Library systems 

    • Provide a space for materials that highlight issues of social justice and underrepresented voices. 

    • showcase the new zines collection

Any questions, please email omonaghan@lincoln.ac.uk

Library collaboration with the Reimagining Lincolnshire Project

Oonagh Monaghan / / arts, decolonisation, LGBT+ History Month, Library, Reimagining Lincolnshire, Research, Uncategorized, Wikimedia, Wikipedia

(The Reimagining Lincolnshire Project who have a blog Reimagining Lincolnshire – Discovering and sharing untold stories has been engaging with local people and organisations to uncover and celebrate the marginalised and forgotten stories of our city’s past with the hope that we can imagine an inclusive future.  Public space can become a bridge between past and present, a site where differences are celebrated by breaking down barriers and starting conversations.  It also sits alongside the decolonising agenda at the University of Lincoln which aims to challenge the language we use and the ways in which we teach and learn.  The project aims to tell the marginalised stories in new and creative radical ways, challenging existing hierarchies and oppressions that are the result of colonial legacy.

In collaboration with Librarians Hope Williard and Oonagh Monaghan, there are two projects for 2022/23.

For Black History Month, the team have partnered with Wikimedia UK to run an online Wikimedia Heritage Project ‘Wikithon’.

Secondly, Librarian, Oonagh Monaghan has teamed up with Dr Victoria Araj and College of Arts Technician, Jantze Holmes on a ‘Reimagining Zine Project’.

 

Continue reading “Library collaboration with the Reimagining Lincolnshire Project”

Decolonising@Lincoln Competition a great success!

Oonagh Monaghan / / decolonisation

Academic Subject Librarian, Oonagh Monaghan has been the lead on a very popular competition in collaboration with School of Design students within the College of Arts.

The competition was initiated as an idea for internal use by the library that grew into a larger project with input from colleagues from the University-wide ‘Decolonising@Lincoln Steering Group’.

Illustrated image of ear as question mark with words 'Whose voice are you hearing?'
Winning design by Cherry Wright (Illustration student)

The decolonisation of Higher Education is a global movement. At the University of Lincoln it involves recognising, examining and attempting to address the detrimental legacies of colonialism on knowledge, pedagogy, ways of working and the campus environment.

The work is contributing to raising awareness of how the voices and perspectives of Black, Indigenous and other non-White people have been marginalized, and to include a broader range of voices, ideas, approaches and intellectual perspectives in teaching, learning, research and scholarship.

The competition brief asked students to create a recognisable and memorable image that would promote and highlight parts of the University Library collection which help amplify marginalised voices.

Photograph of Ian Snowley, Rhoda Datsomor, Cherry Wright, Dinh Huy Truong and Oonagh Monaghan
From Left to right: University Librarian Ian Snowley, Runner-up Rhoda Datsomor, Winner Cherry Wright, Runner up Dinh Huy Truong and Subject Librarian Oonagh Monaghan

 

The winning image will also be used on other material in the Library, across the University and in its publicity material as the overarching theme for Decolonising@Lincoln. This includes the Decolonising@Lincoln website which will launch in Autumn 2022.

Read all about it in the Staff News: Decolonising@Lincoln Design Competition – Staff News

© 2022 Image by Cherry Wright and the University of Lincoln Library. All rights reserved

Remembering Professor Brian Winston

Oonagh Monaghan / / Professor Brian Winston, Uncategorized

The Library would like to mark the loss of Professor Brian Winston, the Lincoln Chair, who passed away over Easter.

Brian made a significant contribution to media studies, with his books, journal articles and audio-visual material encouraging debate across several courses at the University but most particularly in the Lincoln School of Film and Media and School of English and Journalism within the College of Arts.

Brian will be sorely missed by library staff as he was a regular library supporter.

Selection of books by Professor Brian Winston
Selection of books by Professor Brian Winston

The Duncan Grant Lincoln Cathedral Murals: Mixing Religion with Life

Oonagh Monaghan / / #LGBTHM22, arts, LGBT+ History Month, Special Collections, Uncategorized

By Joshua Sewell (volunteer in the University Library)

Lincoln Cathedral holds a lot of history for a structure composed mostly of stone and glass, a history that goes back nearly a thousand years. Once the tallest structure in the world and formerly one of the resting places of an original copy of the Magna Carta, the building is no stranger to events and possessions of historical importance. But those stories have been told forever and evermore. What we want to find are those tales that are less well known, but still of high value. One such tale finds its home in the Russell Chantry area of the Cathedral, and its events took place not so long ago. Inside the Chantry can be found a set of murals that adorn the walls and hold a significance that many may not be aware of. The murals have been open to public viewing since 1990, but their existence predates this by more than 3 decades. Here a question of great interest presents itself, why were the murals hidden from public view for all that time?

Continue reading “The Duncan Grant Lincoln Cathedral Murals: Mixing Religion with Life”

Justice and change: health and wellbeing of the UK LGBTQ+ community in 2022 

Oonagh Monaghan / / #LGBTHM22, covid, healthcare, LGBT+ History Month, Library, transgender

By Oonagh Monaghan

Martin Luther King, Jr., reminded us that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Change takes a long time, but it does happen and that fight for change also needs people behind it to fight for what is right and fair and to end discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.  What we need to avoid, is for the change to be a negative and regressive pulling back of hard fought-for rights. 

Continue reading “Justice and change: health and wellbeing of the UK LGBTQ+ community in 2022 “

LGBT+ History Month Reading list

Oonagh Monaghan / / #LGBTHM22, arts, LGBT+ History Month, Library, transgender

For 2022, the Library has a great new reading list which includes many new titles that have just arrived in the Library.  In addition to new titles, there are also examples of other books and resources which link to the theme ‘Politics in Art: ‘The Arc Is Long’

“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Continue reading “LGBT+ History Month Reading list”

LGBT+ History Month 2022

Oonagh Monaghan / / #LGBTHM22, LGBT+ History Month, transgender, Uncategorized

February is LGBT+ History Month 2022

https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk

LGBT+ History Month 2022

This year’s theme is Politics In Art: ‘The Arc Is Long’ taken from Dr Martin Luther King jnr’s quote “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice”.  The community has faced many setbacks over the years and is still striving for full equality. LGBT+ History Month is all about ‘claiming our past, celebrating our present, creating our future’ so when we celebrate it, we should always be mindful that celebration of successes is always situated within the context of ongoing discrimination.  There is a continuing fight for equality which needs to be acknowledged.  LGBT+ History Month should not be just a performative gesture with a few rainbows and a tweet saying ‘Happy LGBT+ History Month’.

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Running to keep mentally fit

Oonagh Monaghan / / covid, mental health, wellbeing

By Daren Mansfield

When my taekwondo sessions ended and the local leisure centre was closed during the first lockdown, and we had to work from home, I thought the world had ended. All routine was suspended. Confined to home I felt isolated and became more increasingly aware of my mental health.

Screenshot of Daren Mansfield's twitter account with picture of himself.
Daily Twitter post about running

Continue reading “Running to keep mentally fit”

Black History Month 2021

Oonagh Monaghan / / Library, Uncategorized

For Black History Month 2021 the Library has created a new reading list about the black history of artists and art movements.  In addition to books we already have in the Library, we have also purchased some new titles which should arrive very soon.

The reading list also includes some online resources and we would welcome new resources to add to the list.

Picture of three artist books
Selection of books from the reading list