The Pacific Islands in print: surveying the British Library collections (PhD Placement)
The Pacific Islands in print: surveying the British Library collections (PhD Placement)
The Pacific Islands in print: surveying the British Library collections (PhD Placement)
The British Library’s collection of material documenting the Pacific Islands* through the lens of early European exploration and colonisation has been extensively researched and surveyed, culminating in a major exhibition in 2018. However, much less is known about the Library’s holdings in terms of printed books and journals featuring voices from the Pacific: those which speak to the diverse histories of the region. The placement will build on preliminary research undertaken by the Oceania curator to survey the printed collection for works by Pacific and diaspora researchers, authors, poets, playwrights, artists, and publishers, and produce a bibliography. The project will increase the visibility and accessibility of this material for researchers and the wider public, demonstrating traditions of printed knowledge production in the Pacific region. The survey will also help to identify any gaps which can be addressed by the Oceania curator through future collection development activities. *The Pacific Islands are divided into three groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Publications from Hawaii and Aotearoa New Zealand are excluded from this project to give more focus to smaller countries in the region. Funder(s): AHRC South West and Wales DTP.
