Research and scholarship are intimately connected to teaching and learning in higher education. However, in relation to Indigenous peoples, cultures and communities in Canada, these practices have been extractive, largely controlled by, and beneficial to the researcher and not Indigenous communities, and lacking reciprocity. The path to reconciliation with Indigenous communities and research and scholarship will play a great role in reconciliation, but how do issues related to Indigenous research and scholarship intersect with the programs and services of the libraries? How do we consider the ownership, control, access and possession of Indigenous information and data?

These are some of the questions that will be addressed at an online panel event, titled “Perspectives on Openness: Honouring Indigenous Ways of Knowing” on Oct. 20 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Zoom.

This online panel event is the culmination of The Learning Circle series, which was organized in order to learn about Indigenous history, cultural practices and knowledge with respect to research and scholarship. Several York University librarians, archivists and library staff explored these topics during this professional development series. Project leads Norda Bell, an associate librarian, and Rosa Orlandini, a data services librarian, challenged participants to reflect on their responsibilities in creating respectful relationships with Indigenous communities individually and collectively.

The Learning Circle series was divided into three sections: “The Impact of Colonization” (led by Associate Professor Ruth Koleszar-Green), “Indigenous Research Practices” and “Preservation and Dissemination of Knowledge.”

Sponsored by the York University Libraries and supported by an Indigeneity in Teaching and Learning award, the moderated panel discussion on Oct. 20 will centre on Indigenous approaches to open scholarship in celebration of Open Access Week. Inspired by this year’s theme, “Open With Purpose: Taking Action to Build Structural Equity and Inclusion,” panelists will discuss how, in an era of open scholarship and research, research communities can navigate and balance openness while respecting Indigenous knowledge and cultural expression.

Moderated by Stacy Allison-Cassin, associate librarian, this panel event offers an opportunity to encourage broader participation in conversations and actions around emerging scholarly communication issues.

Join Alan Ojiig Corbiere, assistant professor (Department of History), Deborah McGregor, associate professor (Osgoode Hall Law School and Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change), and Sean Hillier, assistant professor (School of Health Policy & Management) as they lead a discussion on the themes of openness, open scholarship and Indigenous knowledge.

To register for this event, visit http://bit.ly/OpenPanel. The panel will also be streamed on the York University Libraries YouTube channel.

This story was originally published in YFile, York University's Journal of Record.