Decolonizing Library Collections: Hiram Bingham, Machu Picchu and the Peruvian Expedition Papers

In our third entry of our new Neighbor Lunches series, we will be catching up with affiliate faculty Jana Krentz. Jana will discuss her work decolonizing library collections.

Decolonizing library collections is an initiative aimed at reevaluating, diversifying, and re-contextualizing materials to include and respect marginalized voices and perspectives. This movement challenges traditional, often colonial frameworks within which libraries were built and seeks to represent diverse narratives accurately and inclusively. This process involves revising cataloging systems, incorporating indigenous perspectives, and examining the ethical implications of library practices. Jana Krentz will discuss some of these ongoing issues as related to Latin America. She will focus on the Hiram Bingham Peruvian Expeditions Papers as a pivotal case study. Hiram Bingham’s expeditions, renowned for the “discovery” of Machu Picchu, embody a colonial framework that often marginalizes indigenous narratives while privileging Western perspectives. By analyzing the archival structures, descriptions, and access policies surrounding these collections, the research underscores how colonial legacies persist in the organization and interpretation of historical materials.

Welcome to the Creative Forum, Jana!

About our Guest Speaker

Jana Krentz is the Curator for the Latin American and Iberian collections at Yale Library. Her doctoral work focused on 19th century Spanish and Portuguese literature at Indiana University. She completed her BA and Masters’ degrees in Spanish and Portuguese literature and linguistics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jana has studied at the Universidad Complutense in Madrid and at the Freie Universität in Berlin where she was a Fulbright Scholar. She also lived in Brazil and Nicaragua, and has travelled extensively throughout Latin America. Her research concentration is 19th and early 20th century Spanish, Brazilian and Portuguese novel, and neo-realism, as well as research education and area studies librarianship. Jana is the recipient of four teaching awards from the various universities where she has taught. She is originally from Oshkosh, Wisconsin.