Libraries Lab

Libraries Lab

Violence and abuse is a serious problem globally and locally.

National, state and territory definitions of domestic, family and sexualised violence and criminal codes vary, however violence and abuse is never acceptable in any community, family, institution, place or context.

Women and girls are disproportionately impacted by violence and abuse. "Climate change and slow environmental degradation exacerbate the risks of violence against women and girls due to displacement, resource scarcity and food insecurity and disruption to service provision for survivors." [UN Women]

There is no one preference or path for support. Every responder, community and industry matters. "Less than 40 per cent of the women who experience violence seek help of any sort. In the majority of countries with available data on this issue, among women who do seek help, most look to family and friends and very few look to formal institutions, such as police and health services. Fewer than 10 per cent of those seeking help reported to the police [11]." [UN Women]

So, what value do libraries hold now? And what possibilities do they hold in our futures?

“What makes a library is, to a great extent, something each generation must decide a new.” [Pettegree, A. & Weduwen, A. D., 2021. The library : a fragile history, Basic Books, New York] 

Let's decide today - when it comes to responding to domestic, family and sexualised violence, the responses of Libraries matter.

We invite libraries (and the local councils or institutions they map into) to:

[Letter to Librarians & Libraries Lab Artwork: © Collaborating Artist Louise Whelan]

Welcome to the Libraries Lab

The Libraries Lab is about understanding libraries as an important part of the ecosystem of responses to domestic, family and sexualised violence. The Libraries Lab makes use of the free (donated) insights and materials in Insight Exchange. These can be used to build on libraries understanding of and responses to violence and abuse.

Here in the Libraries Lab you can explore:

  • (A) Librarians are social responders.
  • (B) Libraries are places and spaces.
  • (C) Libraries hold personal and cultural memory.

View and share 'Who Benefits? Who decides?' and 'Seeing Possibilities' to understand the problem of violence and who is in the picture.

Who benefits and who decides?

Who benefits from the status quo and who decides to keep things the same? We can all stand against violence and abuse from wherever we are in society. 

View, share, embed the Insight Exchange animation ‘Who Benefits? Who Decides?’ (4mins)

Seeing Possibilities

What we understand about domestic, family and sexualised violence informs how we respond; it influences how we design and communicate about products, services and systems. 

View, share, embed the Insight Exchange animation ‘Seeing Possibilities’ (6mins)

Libraries hold local and global value and possibilities in communities.

Globally: Libraries play an important role in contributing to fulfilment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, libraries can contribute to these goals: Goal 1 End Poverty, Goal 2 End Hunger, Goal 3 Good Health and Well-being, Goal 4 Quality Education, Goal 5 Gender Equality, Goal 8 and Goal 9 - Economic growth and decent work for all and Resilient infrastructure to promote inclusivity, sustainability and innovation, Goal 10 Reduced Inequalities, Goal 11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, Goal 16 Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Goal 17 Strengthen partnerships to achieve the sustainable development goals.

Locally: Libraries play an important role in our lives. Libraries are one of few places that are free. “A thriving culture, economy, environment and democracy requires the free flow of information and ideas. Australia's library and information services are fundamental to the free flow of information and ideas and a legacy to each generation, conveying the knowledge of the past and the promise of the future.” [Australian Library and Information Association https://read.alia.org.au/alia-core-values-policy-statement-0]

We invite libraries (and the local councils or institutions they map into) to explore and respond to these areas outlined below.

There are10 examples to explore for action. The examples are not exhaustive. They can be explored in any sequence. Taking action in response to these examples is both individual and collective work. Doing what we can as individuals in the spheres of responsibilities and possibilities we have, and doing what we can collectively to make a meaningful and lasting difference - upholding dignity, building on safety and justice.

Librarians are social responders.

Libraries Lab A

We invite librarians to be:

(1) Listening to lived experience insights is essential. In the 'listening' menu you can explore lived experience insights .

Read and share the lived experience insights from voices of insight and voices about economic abuse,

Host the voices of insight collection as a mobile gallery. 

(2) Exploring the insight-informed materials about experiences and responses to violence and abuse. Individually and collectively, we can listen to and be led by victim-survivors’ insights and experiences of violence and abuse. In the 'exploring' menu you can view and read animations and resources informed by lived experience insights. 

(3) Building on individual and collective understanding of violence and abuse through the introductory and foundations modules,

Librarians can view the digital content independently or view these together as a team. Teams can also participate together in the free (donated) 2hr virtual facilitated Responders Lab session. 

Libraries are places and spaces.

Libraries Lab B

We invite libraries to be:

(4) Supporting each other as colleagues and peers through workplace responses.

Review and uplift your workplace responses using the Guide: Uplifting workplace responses.

Widen the support options you make available through the workplace to build on safety and wellbeing.

Review and uplift your intranet (or equivalent) for staff supports using the Workplace Intranet Content Guide.

(5) Supporting library members and visitors to the library with discreet self-service access (in-person and online) to lived experience insights, information and reflection resources about violence and abuse.

Review and uplift your website using the insights shared in the Guidance (website content and functions).

Explore and implement ten ways to share Insight Exchange.

Libraries hold personal and cultural memory.

Libraries Lab C

We ask libraries to be:

(7) Prioritising and planning for the ongoing visibility and preservation of insights about violence and abuse.

Explore 'Working with content' and consider:

What content, works and initiatives about domestic, family and sexualised violence are featured? 

Whose insights are recorded, published and preserved in memory?

(8) Refining the way violence and abuse is represented and/or silenced by libraries as custodians of personal and cultural memory.

Explore the Language Lab to understand how language and violence are inextricably linked.

Explore the Arts Lab to understand and value visual discourse in personal and cultural memory.

(9) Explore more about the role of libraries in holding personal and cultural memory about violence and abuse. A talk by independent Artist Louise Whelan coming 2025.

In Australia

Librarians - core values

“Library and information services professionals commit themselves to the core values of their profession as described in the Australian Library and Information Association values statement:

  • Promotion of the free flow of information and ideas through open access to recorded knowledge, information, and creative works
  • Delivery of authentic information and evidence-based practice supported by quality research
  • Connection of people to ideas, knowledge creation and learning
  • Dedication to fostering reading, information and digital literacies
  • Respect for the diversity, individuality and equality of all
  • Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first peoples of the land, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges, cultures and Country
  • Adherence to information privacy principles
  • Management, organisation and preservation of the human record
  • Excellence, accountability, integrity and responsibility in service to our communities
  • Commitment to maintaining currency of professional knowledge and practice
  • Partnerships and collaborations to advance these values."

[Australian Library and Information Association https://read.alia.org.au/alia-core-values-policy-statement-0]

Sign and Dots

Libraries are responders within local ecosystems

(10) We invite libraries (and the local councils or institutions they map into) to build on how they are working with their local ecosystem, Libraries can be supporting local businesses, community groups, institutions and organisations to make use of the value and possibilities libraries hold in responding to violence and abuse.

One idea for connecting in new or more ways with your local ecosystem is to explore and become involved in Thriving Communities Australia (TCA).

'Thriving Communities Australia is a not for profit organisation that enables collaboration across multiple sectors including business, academia, government, NGO’s and people with lived experience. TCA's goal is to see everybody have fair access to the modern essential services they need to thrive in contemporary Australia.'