Please join the ALA Core Metadata Interest Group for its Core Virtual Interest Group Week session on inclusive metadata. The meeting will take place on Thursday, March 9, 2023, from 11:00-12:00 pm Eastern Time (8:00 am-9:00 am Pacific Time) and will consist of two presentations. The full session description is included below.
The session is free but requires registration. Register for this session at: https://ala-events.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwscOigqjwrE9K4o9J8z-mzFAePfPtUX-Sg
This program will include two presentations:
Public-facing Statements on Harmful Language in Library and Archival Description: Recommendations for Implementation
Presenters:
Katie Dunn Electronic Resources Librarian, University of Wisconsin Law Library
Samantha Garlock Cataloging Specialist of Distinctive Collections, University of Wisconsin-Madison Memorial Library
Abstract: Catalog records sometimes include terminology or describe viewpoints that are biased, offensive, or outdated. Library-provided descriptive metadata can also include harmful language, which can – and should – be updated to be more sensitive and accurate without compromising discoverability. In the summer of 2022, several members of the Council of University of Wisconsin Libraries' Critical Cataloging Interest Group came together to explore creating a public-facing statement on harmful language that may appear in the library's catalog or other descriptive metadata. The purpose of this statement is to invite library patrons and staff to report harmful language they encounter, while providing context and education about why harmful language may be present, and assure patrons and staff that their concerns will be heard and addressed.
This presentation will describe the characteristics of existing harmful language statements, and our recommendations for libraries interested in creating their own statement. It will also include discussion of our process, and our goals in adding a harmful language statement to the library website and catalog.
Words Matter: Supporting a Community Archive Through Inclusive Cataloging
Presenters:
Elyse Fox Digital Initiatives Librarian, California State University, Sacramento
Lynn Drennan Archives & Manuscript Coordinator, California State University, Sacramento
Pachia Vang HMong Textile Specialist, Culture Through Cloth
Abstract: The Southeast Asia Community Resource Center (SEACRC) Collection at Sacramento State was compiled over a 20-year period by the Southeast Asia Community Resource Center, in Rancho Cordova, California, as a project of the Refugee Educators' Network. In 2021, a grant project was initiated to digitize over 200 artifacts from the collection – including artwork, handicrafts, toys and dolls, musical instruments, clothing, jewelry, and photographs – which document and bring to life the everyday experiences of recent Asian American immigrants to California.
In this presentation, we will discuss how we employed culturally aware and inclusive metadata practices to describe this collection, ensuring that descriptions demonstrated respect and care for the peoples and cultures represented. This included adhering to a multilingual approach to describing these digitized objects, creating descriptions and providing subject access in native and translated terms, and providing contextual information when necessary.
We look forward to meeting you in the session!
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Joan Wang
East Asian/Chinese Studies Librarian
Washington University in Saint Louis
She/Her/Hers
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