Sohaib Baig, From data to action: Leveraging insights to make more informed collection decisions

Posted on October 12, 2024

In a recent blog post for OCLC, Sohaib Baig, a former Research Fellow at the Program in Islamic Law (PIL), delves into the critical role that library collections play in shaping scholarly research and public discourse, especially within the realm of global Islamic studies. Baig argues that libraries must prioritize the inclusion of diverse, non-Western materials to better reflect the complexities of global cultures, histories, and knowledge systems. Focusing on Islamic manuscripts and historical texts, he highlights the need for broader representation of underrepresented regions and traditions in library collections, which are often dominated by Western perspectives. By incorporating Islamic sources from various geographic regions, languages, and eras, Baig suggests that libraries can help foster more nuanced research and cross-cultural understanding. His insights call for a reevaluation of collection strategies in order to create more equitable access to knowledge and to support global scholarship in an increasingly interconnected world.