51ºÚÁÏÍø

Several years ago, Arca Manager Brandon Weigel wrote a module for Arca’s then digital repository software, Islandora 7, that retrieved and displayed on objects associated with projects in the Local Contexts Hub.ÌýÌý

The Traditional Knowledge (TK) Labels are an initiative for Indigenous communities and local organizations. Developed through sustained partnership and testing within Indigenous communities across multiple countries, the Labels allow communities to express local and specific conditions for sharing and engaging in future research and relationships in ways that are consistent with already existing community rules, governance and protocols for using, sharing and circulating knowledge and data.

When Islandora 7 reached its end-of-life, Arca needed a newer version of this module for the new version of Islandora. But the Arca team was deep into the major project of migrating all the Arca sites to the new platform and had no capacity to work on writing new software.ÌýÌý

Then, Brandon saw a message on the code4lib mailing list from University of PEI professorÌý. The message was a request for project proposals for his students’ capstone projects at the . Computer Science students would form a group, gather requirements from their clients, and work on the project for the January-April school term. Brandon proposed the TK Labels integration module, and a team selected it!ÌýÌý

The project team was Eric Oroku, Qobid Lawal, Emmanuel Ogbole, Daniel Moshood, Ibrahim Muhammad, and Tomiwa Adewumi. Coming into the project, they felt a little intimidated, but excited for a chance to contribute to a real and meaningful initiative. Although they were new to PHP (a general-purpose scripting language geared toward web development) and Drupal (a free and open-source web content management system), their software engineering backgrounds helped them get up to speed quickly.Ìý

They also had no prior knowledge of TK Labels, but the project allowed them to learn about the importance of properly representing Indigenous rights and interests in digital content. The labels serve as a bridge between technology and community values, and the students learned how they lead to more respectful, informed research and digital stewardship practices. These labels are not just tools; they represent a broader movement toward equity and accountability in digital spaces.Ìý

Through the project, the students gained an understanding of the role metadata plays in community-driven protocols. They also developed experience working with Drupal modules, CSS theming, API integrations, and implementing configurable systems in a collaborative setting. In addition, they improved their practices around accessibility and user-centered design. Most importantly, they came to understand their responsibilities as developers when working with culturally sensitive materials.Ìý

For Arca, their contribution means the creation of a module that the Arca members and the Islandora community really needed. The new Local Contexts Integration module allows Arca to maintain its values of building trust with communities and collaborating across diverse organizations.Ìý

Hopefully there will be more collaborations between Dr. Hassan’s students and 51ºÚÁÏÍø ELN to come!Ìý

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If you would like to learn more about TK labels, click .Ìý