Decolonising Collections: ETH Library’s Current Initiatives

Although Switzerland itself was not a colonial power, its past and present are characterised in many ways by global colonial entanglements. This can be seen, for example, in the economy through the trade of colonial commodities, in the financial sector through the financing of colonial companies and in science through participation in research projects in colonies. It is therefore not surprising that the current debate on decolonisation is also being conducted with increasing intensity at the internationally oriented ETH Zurich. With its collections and archives, the ETH Library plays a very active role in this discussion and reflection. This paper highlights the central aspects of the corresponding fields of action and activities. In the area of dealing with objects from former colonies or with image and records holdings with a colonial influence and the associated cataloging and digitisation practice, the focus is on the broad-based Decolonisation Working Group. Among other things, it is developing criteria for identifying problematic collections and deriving specific recommendations and strategies for day-to-day handling. In the area of knowledge sharing, the focus is on preparatory work for the temporary exhibition "Colonial Traces – Collections in Context", which will be on display in extract, the collections and archives exhibition space in the main building of ETH Zurich from the end of August 2024 until July 2025. This exhibition will combine current postcolonial research conducted at ETH Zurich itself with a critical examination of the institution's own history and collecting activities based on the collections and archives' own holdings. At the same time, reflections on a transparent and critical approach to the university's monuments, in which colonialism is also reflected, will take place. This article draws an initial conclusion on the status of the decolonisation of collections from a Swiss perspective and emphasises the role that libraries can play in this.