Decolonising the Library: Incorporating Alternative Knowledge Producers

Paper Abstract: One critical epistemological position in Malay Studies is the decolonisation of knowledge. This paper seeks to examine this position as opposed to the dominant tradition of Orientalism within the field. In addition to this, this paper will be incorporating the United Nations International Scientific Information System (UNISIST) model to highlight historical knowledge production in Malay Studies and will suggest additions relevant to the discipline. The systematic use of the UNISIST model helps to demonstrate that differing epistemologies exists and allows for the identifications of gaps in the units of knowledge production in order to include currently marginalised materials. These materials provide an alternative autochthonous knowledge to the dominant Orientalist works in the collections of libraries.