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First Nations Strategy 2024–28
First Nations Strategy 2024-28: A plan for reframing relationships
The First Nations Strategy will guide State Library to reframe and strengthen relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, knowledge and stories. As a library of influence and key collecting and memory institution, we need a coordinated approach to truth-telling, collection practices and First Nations initiatives. This Strategy reflects our commitment to First Nations peoples and communities across Queensland.
State Library is responsible for preserving Queensland’s cultural and documentary heritage, including First Nations perspectives. By listening to and respecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander expertise, our collections, programs and initiatives will share diverse histories and foster meaningful engagement.
Respect is central as we build trust through strong relationships. This Strategy sets a clear direction for State Library to embrace First Nations knowledge, share stories and make decisions with First Nations peoples and communities.
State Library of Queensland's Journey
The artwork in the First Nations Strategy document is by contemporary artist Chern'ee Sutton of the Kalkadoon people. It is an interpretation of State Library’s commitment to strong relationships, stories, culture, truth and healing with Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
First Nations Strategy Action Plan 2025–26
State Library will focus on 8 strategic objectives over the life of our First Nations Strategy.
A set of design principles underpins the First Nations Strategy. These design principles have been tested and confirmed with the Executive Leadership Team, Senior Leadership team, First Nations leaders, and approved by the Library Board. The First Nations Strategy aligns to these approved principles and details the activities to deliver, and is embedded in the operations of State Library.
First Nations peoples' human rights, particularly cultural rights, are at the centre of State Library's commitments to First Nations peoples.
State Library will leverage existing governance arrangements through the Indigenous Advisory Group to embed culturally informed decision making and effective monitoring and evaluation of First Nations commitments.
The Senior Leadership Team, with the Director, First Nations Strategy, leads the implementation of First Nations commitments.
State Library will tailor our ways of working and communicating to meet the needs of First Nations individuals, communities, staff and partners.
The Executive Leadership Team supports the development of culturally capable staff, and commitment to a culturally safe workplace.
First Nations senior staff provide expert advice and support to branches for the design and delivery of culturally appropriate services.
About a third of Australians do not know or accept some fundamental aspect or our shared history. The lack of a shared understanding of our history is a source of ongoing trauma for many First Nations people. Truth-telling is an opportunity for First Nations peoples, governments and organisations to record evidence about past actions and for First Nations people to share culture, heritage and history with the broader community.
We will play a critical role in facilitating the truth-telling conversation ensuring Queenslanders have access to materials on the complex history of this State.
| Priorities | Deliverables |
1.1 Activate truth-telling
| Implement monitoring and evaluation framework to track action and enable ongoing delivery of First Nations Strategy and continuous improvement.
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1.2 Leading truth-telling and healing
| Actively reflect and lead truth-telling and healing for State Library as an organisation. |
| 1.3 Culturally transform collection practices | Implement Content Strategy mechanisms ensuring First Nations peoples perspectives are centred, acknowledged and protected through 4 key focus areas: acquisition, description, access and custodianship.
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1.4 Collecting First Nations truth-telling
| Activate reparative and inclusive description practices with First Nations collection materials.
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1.5 Local truth-telling keeping places
| Build and sustain respectful relationships with and support communities that have expressed readiness to establish a keeping place |
We have an enduring relationship with Indigenous Councils to deliver place based, community led library services through a network of Indigenous Knowledge Centres (IKCs). State Library will partner with councils to ensure IKCs reach their true potential. We will enhance our support to IKCs to elevate their role in First Nations communities and in relation to cultural knowledges and participation, truth-telling, language maintenance and generation, and social and economic participation.
| Priorities | Deliverables |
| 2.1. Indigenous Knowledge Centres engagement plan strategy | Develop, implement and monitor an Indigenous Knowledge Centres Engagement Plan and co-designed action plans.
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| 2.2 Elevate Indigenous Knowledge Centres | Support Indigenous Knowledge Centres to grow and become digital and social hubs for their communities.
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State Library will reimagine kuril dhagun and examine the role, space and operations of kuril dhagun to ensure it honours and welcomes Queensland’s First Nations people and communities. We will also pursue opportunities to ensure it is a space of authentic learning, where visitors can experience the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and stories.
| Priorities | Deliverables |
3.1 Re-activate kuril dhagun
| Foster collaboration and implement strategies to position kuril dhagun as a vibrant space for providing and promoting inspirational First Nations experiences.
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There are many different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nations and groups living throughout Queensland in the areas in which we operate. Therefore, we will adapt our ways of working and communicating to meet the diverse needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and communities.
| Priorities | Deliverables |
| 4.1 First Nations engagement and partnerships | Co-design, develop, implement and monitor a community engagement plan.
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4.2 Partnering with local government for the inclusion of First Nations perspectives in public libraries
| Offer a range of programs and resources for public libraries
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| 4.3 First Nations visitors’ experience | Implement changes that enhance and value First Nations visitors’ experience and engagement in person and online.
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| 4.4 Traditional Owners of Brisbane engagement | Sustain respectful engagement with Traditional Owners of Brisbane.
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| 4.5 Enable the Indigenous Advisory Group | Support the Indigenous Advisory Group to provide advice to the Library Board. |
We are committed to improving our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employee recruitment, retention and cultural safety. We will achieve this by advancing, creating and enabling a culturally safe environment through the respectful review, reflection and implementation of improved policies and practices.
| Priorities | Deliverables |
5.1 Attract and Retain First Nations Staff
| Deliver the First Nations recruitment and retention activities |
5.2 Build cultural capability
| Deliver cultural capability uplift activities. |
5.3 Leadership at all levels
| Embed cultural leadership capabilities across State Library. |
State Library is committed to intentional collecting for the Memory, Information and Public Library collections. First Nations histories and contemporary stories are respected and made accessible with a priority to collect content created by First Nations peoples.
Our role as custodians of Queensland memory, particularly through truth-telling processes, will include making accessible our diverse collections, incorporating inclusive descriptive language and ensuring sensitivity information and access reflects First Nations sovereignty. We are committed to connecting First Nations communities with collections.
| Priorities | Deliverables |
| 6.1 First Nations data | Develop and implement the State Library Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) Project.
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6.2 First Nations digital inclusion
| Deliver initiatives that support First Nations digital inclusion through partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander councils. |
6.3 Partnerships to build First Nations collection content
| Foster programs and partnerships to record and preserve First Nations voices.
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| 6.4 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages of Queensland | Support the revitalisation, preservation and promotion of Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages |
We are committed to the integrity and authenticity of First Nations culture by honouring First Nations truth, stories, and knowledge in our programs, exhibitions, and public spaces. Programming at State Library foundationally embraces and celebrates the diversity, cultures and knowledges of First Nations peoples. First Nations cultures and perspectives that respect, empower and connect communities is a key pillar underpinning events, partnerships and public programming.
| Priorities | Deliverables |
7.1 First Nations public programs | Curate annual public program that celebrates and elevates First Nations knowledge, cultures, communities and organisations.
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7.2. Elevate First Nations participation in awards and fellowships
| Actively promote and facilitate First Nations participation in awards, events and fellowships. |
| 7.3 First Nations engagement for Children and Families | Deliver culturally safe and inclusive programs for children and families, aligned with the Child Safe Organisations Act 2024.
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| 7.4 First Nations schools' engagement and partnerships | Deliver educational programs, resources and engagement that strengthens understanding of First Nations perspectives across Queensland schools. |
We will grow the social and economic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities, and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses.
| Priorities | Deliverables |
8.1 First Nations supply chain | Monitor and report on First Nations supplier arrangements. |
| 8.2 First Nations procurement | Promote inclusive and transparent procurement practices that proactively seek opportunities to engage First Nations suppliers aligning with Queensland Government procurement principles to work towards meeting or exceeding relevant targets. |
Monitoring, evaluation and governance
The Action Plan outlined above activates the First Nations Strategy across the 8 strategic objectives. State Library has invested in the establishment of a First Nations Strategy branch to provide strategic leadership in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Strategy. A monitoring and evaluation framework is in place to provide assurance to our First Nations partners and communities that State Library is delivering a positive impact.
The Library Board and Indigenous Advisory Group receive regular updates on the progress and implementation of the First Nations Strategy and Action Plan.
Visit this page, State Library's blog or social media channels for updates.
The Public Sector Act 2022 (s23) outlines the requirement for State Library to publish and review our reframing the relationships plan each year.
Read more about the Library Board of Queensland and Indigenous Advisory Group, State Library's governing bodies who support the achievement of a guiding principle in the Libraries Act 1988 that respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are affirmed.
First Nations Strategy in action
Learn more about our First Nations programs, initiatives and deliverables in action.
From the blog
Implementation framework
State Library has developed a framework that provides a high-level overview of the linkages between the Queensland Government's whole-of-government reforms and State Library's strategic direction and First Nations initiatives.
The First Nations Strategy is aligned with the following documents.
Feedback
State Library welcomes feedback on this Strategy. Email FirstNationsStrategy@slq.qld.gov.au for more information.