The message advising of culturally sensitive material will start appearing from the 24th January, 2022

Last year, the University of Sydney Library published the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Protocols to guide Library staff in promoting culturally safe practices across services, spaces and resources. 

As part of the protocol’s implementation, a new message will appear when people visit the Library website. It advises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that materials in our collection may contain images, voices and names of people who have died.

The Library recognises the significance of the traditional cultural knowledges contained within its collection. However, it is important to note that some materials may be considered insensitive, outdated, or inappropriate in today’s context. These materials reflect the views of the authors and/or the period in which they were produced and don’t represent the views of the Library.

The Library thanks the DCV ISS for their advice and feedback on this project. This message is implemented as a further acknowledgment of our facilities residing on the ancestral lands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. For thousands of generations, these people have exchanged knowledge for the benefit of all.

Learn more on this about our approach to culturally sensitive materials.