The 25th of April Documentation Centre: recording a colonial past and enabling emancipatory research

Sequeiros, Paula The 25th of April Documentation Centre: recording a colonial past and enabling emancipatory research. Innovation : journal of appropriate librarianship and information work in Southern Africa, 2016, vol. 2016, n. 53, pp. 39-55. [Journal article (Paginated)]

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English abstract

The article describes the history and activities of the 25th of April Documentation Centre (CD25A), at the University of Coimbra, Portugal. The Centre has an overt commitment to democracy and decolonisation. It deals with a history timeline starting with the opposition to Portuguese colonialism and the fascist dictatorship, crossing the transition to a democratic state and the Revolution of April 1974, and extending until the end of the 20th century. It is argued that, in digitally opening its collections and interacting with scientific research, journalism, literature and education, CD25A has played an important social and political role. Interviews with three of its users are analysed – which will serve as the basis of a larger investigation into the Centre’s value for research in Portuguese colonialism. It seems that the “research atmosphere”, created by its staff, is as important to researchers as its unique collections.

Portuguese abstract

O artigo descreve a história e as atividades do Centro de Documentação 25 de abril (CD25A), da Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal. O Centro tem um claro compromisso com a democracia e descolonização. Lida com uma linha temporal histórica que, começando com a oposição ao colonialismo português e à ditadura fascista, cruza a transição para um estado democrático e a revolução de abril de 1974, estendendo-se até ao final do século 20. Argumenta-se que, ao abrir digitalmente as suas coleções e interagir com a educação, o jornalismo, a literatura e a pesquisa científica, o CD25A tem desempenhado um importante papel social e político. Analisam-se entrevistas com três dos seus usuários que servirão de base para uma investigação ulterior sobre o valor deste centro de investigação para o conhecimento sobre o colonialismo português. A "atmosfera de investigação", criada por quem trabalha no Centro, aparenta ser tão importante para os e as pesquisadoras como as suas coleções únicas.

Item type: Journal article (Paginated)
Keywords: colonialism, digital archives, digital libraries, memory memory, Portugal, colonialismo, arquivos digitais, bibliotecas digitais
Subjects: B. Information use and sociology of information > BA. Use and impact of information.
D. Libraries as physical collections. > DH. Special libraries.
Depositing user: Ana Paula Sequeiros
Date deposited: 07 Feb 2019 08:30
Last modified: 07 Feb 2019 08:30
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/30941

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