National Library of Wales offering job ‘decolonising’ its archives to emphasise the nation’s diverse history

The National Library of Wales is offering a new post with the aim of emphasising Wales’ diverse history and helping the institution play an active role in promoting an anti-racist Wales.

The Archives Decolonization Project Officer role will aim to celebrate the contribution of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people to Wales, they said.

The two-year role which pays a minimum of £24,899 is being advertised with a closing date of September 5.

“The Library has always embraced and celebrated the diversity of Wales and we want to play an active role in promoting an Anti-racist Wales and delivering on the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan published recently by Welsh Government,” the National Library of Wales said.

“This post will play a key part in helping us to realise this ambition.”

‘Engage’

They added that the person offered the role would be be passionate about the need to ensure that Library collections and activities represent all aspects of Welsh life and history, particularly underrepresented individuals and communities

“The most important qualification for this role is that you’re able to draw on your lived experience and engage effectively with a wide range of people,” they said.

“The ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh is a definite advantage for this role, but not absolutely essential.”

The person doing the role will:

• Discover and find ways of telling stories through the lens of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people’s experiences, past and present and celebrating their contribution to the history of Wales.
• Find ways to lift the barriers to heritage and cultural collections through relevant, innovative and engaging experiences that appeal to a range of communities.
• Work with grassroots community–based organisations to co-design opportunities that will engage Black Asian and Minority Ethnic individuals and enabling them to express their creativity, heritage, language, cultural identity and origins.

Those interested in taking on the role should email [email protected] by 2pm on 5th September 2022, they said.