Beyond cultural competency: Indigenous knowledge sovereignty in academic libraries
Abstract
Indigenous knowledge sovereignty marks a transformative shift in academic librarianship, moving beyond cultural competency toward practices that center Indigenous self-determination, community authority, and epistemic sovereignty. Recent scholarship exposes how well-meaning diversity initiatives often continue colonial patterns of extraction and control. This review features scholarship from Indigenous and ally voices that bridges the gap between rhetoric and action, offering models grounded in relational practice, ethical stewardship, and structural change. These articles do not offer checklists, but require ongoing commitment to repair and reconciliation.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Agriculture
Library Science and Administration
Indigenous Health
Education
and Rights
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Public & Access Services Quarterly
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 37–44
- Publication date
- 1 January 2026
- Language
- EN