Bradford College Multicultural Reference Collection

Title: Bradford College Multicultural Reference Collection

Description: Bradford College's mission is to provide 'inclusive learning' for the community it serves. The College offers over 1,000 courses, covering all levels of teaching and learning from foundation to postgraduate study across the following subject areas: Art, Design and Textiles; Computing and Business Administration; Business Studies; Management, Hospitality and Leisure Studies; Pure and Applied Sciences; Engineering and Construction; Applied Social Science and Humanities; Teacher Education; and Applied Human Studies.

Most of the College's research resources are housed at two locations: the Grove Library, within the main Great Horton Road campus, and the McMillan Library. The Grove Library houses a special 'Multicultural Reference Collection' which was created in 1990 to support staff and student interests in multicultural education and also the work of the Race Relations Research Unit, based at Bradford College. The ideology behind the collection was to provide a proactive response to cultural diversity, informing an approach to multicultural librarianship that served as an example of good practice in the field.

Within the Multicultural Reference Collection there are about 1300 books comprising materials with the original aim of presenting a balanced view of 'life-style images, languages and cultures of all communities' (Collection Policy document, 1990). Materials cover topics and themes relating to: Multicultural education; Race relations, Anti-racist education; Immigration, discrimination and disadvantage; Community languages; Dual language materials; Fiction and non-fiction writing by Asian and African-Caribbean authors; and World studies.

In relation to the history of Black and Asian peoples in the United Kingdom the work of the Race Relations Research Unit is particularly pertinent - as it comprises original research materials on immigrant communities, social work, education and employment in Bradford. Research from the University of Leeds and local publishers regarding regional issues relating to multiculturalism is also collected.

The periodicals collection reflects the ideology of the wider Multicultural Education Collection: to provide material for reference and research purposes, but also to support cultural activities. Newspapers and magazines subscribed to include: Asian Times; India Today; India weekly; Des parades weekly (Punjabi newspaper); Manushi; and Femina: for the woman of substance. Newsletters include the Bilingual family newsletter, and Arena: national anti-racist movement in education news. Journals include Immigrants and minorities, International journal of educational development, New era in education, Patterns of prejudice, Wasafiri and Multicultural review. Reference materials include the Runnymede Bulletin, and Diversity directory. Materials specific to British multicultural communities include New impact and Ethnic minorities health: a current awareness bulletin. Campaign materials include CARF, New Internationalist and Searchlight.

Strengths: Research material on multicultural education and publications by the Race Relations Research Unit (based at Bradford College).

Size: c.1300 books

Catalogue: Talis catalogue (not yet available online).

Catalogue URL:

Main URL: http://www.bilk.ac.uk/prosp/fthe2002/frontend/html/libfac.html

Access: Members of the public wishing to use the Multicultural Reference Collection should contact staff at the Grove Library (Tel: +44 (0)1274 753156) for information about access. Non staff and students of Bradford College are required to pay a subscription charge to use library facilities.

Acquisition dates: c.1990 - present, with material dating from the 1950s.

Note:

Interest: Asian, Black

Complete: Complete

Subjects

Social work

Multiculturalism

Interethnic relations

Immigration

Employment

Education

Anti-racism

Asian peoples

African-Caribbean peoples

Ethnic groups

Personal/Corporate names

University of Leeds

Race Relations Research Unit

Places

Bradford, United Kingdom