Inclusive Reading List Toolkit

The phrase ‘Open Library’ describes our vision for Libraries & Collections at KCL. Developing genuinely open and inclusive collections is an important part of this.

This section of the toolkit will equip you to find and use Open Access resources. Using and promoting Open Access resources can enhance the inclusivity of our teaching and learning at King’s by:

Providing easy access to the work of diverse authors

A growing volume of research from the Global South is available through Open Access repositories, as are significant collections of primary materials and other sources that reflect the knowledge and experiences of diverse communities. Read on to learn more about how to find these resources.

Enabling staff to develop inclusive course content and reading lists

The improved access to diverse knowledge offered by Open Access resources can aid staff in diversifying their course materials, decentering the current dominant forms of knowledge and learning by situating them alongside those developed elsewhere. Read on for further information about how to critically evaluate Open resources for use in teaching.

Ensuring the maximum accessibility of resources for our students

The use of Open Access materials means that students can access readings and sources even before formally commencing their studies and long after they have finished.

In order to create an Open Library at King’s we need to reimagine our collections for the future, building sustainable collections that support student success, inclusive education and research excellence, ensuring they can be accessed by all who need them.  

We plan to do this through the delivery of strategic objectives in partnership with our academic staff and students: 

• We will facilitate an Inclusive Education through the promotion of diverse reading content and formats. Advocating for the creation and inclusion of Open Education Resources in modules. 

• We will support research-enhanced learning by bringing our unique and heritage collections into the classroom to inspire new module creation and scholarship. 

• We will be the visible face of Open Research at King’s, actively working with research colleagues to influence Research Culture. 

• We will continue to diversify beyond transformative agreements and invest in a diverse range of open access publishers and materials. 

• We will find ways to promote wider access to King’s research and create the means to ensure King’s research is accessible, increasing impact as audiences increase. 

• We will make innovative use of digital platforms to promote King’s papers and surface a wide variety of content. 

• We will find sustainable solutions to collection development that will ensure we can cater for the rich and diverse span of research activity at King’s, helping to deliver research innovation and excellence. 

• We will build an inclusive and diverse collection that will reflect teaching and learning at King’s and enable an inclusive education and student success. 

• As the publishing landscape changes, we will open our collections to the world, working to find solutions to the barriers which prevent this, and finding ways for King’s to sustainably host open collections that support both education, research, and wider societal needs. 

• We will curate existing collections to make them discoverable and to enable the creation of new knowledge for research and learning.