Our Collections: Spotlight on Library Resources Blog Posts

November was Islamophobia Awareness Month. In recognition of this, the library put together a display surrounding the theme ‘Flip the Script’, to challenge narratives based on fear and ignorance, and highlight the need for understanding, learning, and critical engagement with information. The display, located on the ground floor, was comprised of both physical and digital resources. They ran the gamut from education and pedagogy to children’s books on Islamic art, demonstrating the wide-ranging impact Islamophobia can have on individuals, institutions, and cultural fabric.  

Related to this display, the RU Palestine Society developed and put up a display focusing on the history of conflict and colonialism in Palestine, which is still ongoing today. This display also has an associated resource list, developed in collaboration with the society, to collect and share these stories beyond the display. 

Books, eBooks, and the Written Word 

If you are interested in books and textual resources exploring these themes, the displays and resource list mentioned above are excellent places to start. While the displays are temporary, the resources they highlight will remain available through the library.  

We invite you to explore the catalogue and the shelves if this interests you. Within the Dewey Decimal System, resources discussing islamophobia are generally housed in the early 300s, however resources are also found in the religions area, as well as online. Using the Palestine Society resource list to start, materials can be gathered by exploring different subject headings (found in the detailed search results below the title and author).  

Subject headings are used to group items by topic, and in a digital catalogue they can be used to retrieve all other items that have the same heading. The catalogue uses a variety of subject heading sets, such as the Library of Congress Subject Headings, Faceted Application of Subject Terminology, and the ‘Gemeinsame Normdatei’ to name a few. There is no right or wrong subject heading to begin your search with, simply click on the heading you find most interesting, and it will automatically search for all other materials with that specific subject heading in the catalogue. Different heading sets will retrieve different results, so checking the repeated headings for new resources will ensure you find more materials relevant to your query. 

Audio & Visual materials 

While the catalogue does have audio and visual materials, such as albums and movies, the easiest way to access these types of resources is through specific databases, such as Kanopy or the BFI Player. On Kanopy there are a few results focused specifically on islamophobia. These documentaries and movies explore the impact that bigotry can have on individuals and communities. 

The library also has access to a number of historical and contemporary films through the BFI player. These include historical footage of British Muslim communities, various documentaries, travelogues, and ‘East is East’ (which is available to rent). 

Similar to the catalogue, both of these databases allow for searching by subject. On Kanopy, subject headings are listed as genres and tags, found on the title page in the details section. When using the BFI Player, subject headings are listed at the end of the overview. 

Wrapping Up 

The library is an excellent space to be curious and learn. While November highlighted the resources available which analysed and challenged the narratives of islamophobia, we recognise that it is imperative to continue challenging narratives of harm and creating space to listen to our community and address their needs beyond November. If you are interested in the work the library is doing to challenge and rectify biases within the collection, the EDI page has information about the work we are doing right now.