Inclusive Description TF

Inclusive Description Current Work

The Inclusive Description Task Force has undertaken a variety of tasks to improve descriptive metadata and present library materials in a manner that is respectful and representative of our diverse user population. Below are some of the task force’s metadata and classification projects.

Offensive and outdated terminology

ProblemActionStatus
"Illegal immigration" (Library of Congress Subject Headings)

Continue following SAC recommendation.

The process will normalize the following subject headings, when the subject heading Illegal immigration is also present:

Noncitizens → Undocumented immigrants

Children of noncitizens → Children of undocumented immigrants

Noncitizen children → Undocumented immigrant children

Noncitizens in literature → Undocumented immigrants in literature

Women noncitizens → Women undocumented

The process will also normalize: Illegal immigration → Immigration

Complete 

Documentation on rules here 

 

 

(cont.)Add the Sears heading Noncitizens to WorldCat bibliographic records as needed. This will ensure the term Noncitizens continues to be indexed for searchComplete
"Indians of North America" (Library of Congress Subject Headings)LC announced they will be revising this and related headings. Research best practices for improving access to resources by and about Indigenous peoples in California.Research in progress for Indigenous tribes in California; goal is to work with Library of Congress/LAIPA Funnel as they propose changes
“Forced removal and internment” for U.S. citizens during WWII

First tried proposing the term “incarceration camps .”

Following that failed attempt, requested the Joint Norm Rules Task Force create a norm rule to transform the headings as follows:

Japanese Americans $x Forced removal and internment, 1942-1945 → Japanese Americans $x Forced removal and incarceration, 1942-1945

Aleuts $x Forced removal and internment, 1942-1945 → Aleuts $x Forced removal and incarceration, 1942-1945

Japanese $z Canada $x Forced removal and internment, 1942-1945  → Japanese $z Canada $x Forced removal and incarceration, 1942-1945 

In process (to resubmit a subject heading proposal)

Norm rule to show as “incarceration” can be found here; scroll down to subjects.

 

Offensive and outdated classification (addressed at the campus level)

ProblemActionStatus
The letter "N" to organize materials by, about, or relating to Black people in the library's physical collectionsReplace "N" with "B" in call numbers for materials by, about, or relating to Black people 

Library of Congress issued change (07/2021)

Alma analytics reports: 

  • Alma: /Shared Folders/Community/Reports/Consortia/MNPALS/Resources & Collections
    It is called "Project - .Nx Cutter Tracker (Regex)"
  • Alma: /Shared/Community/Reports/Institutions/UWisconsin/Critical Cataloging. It is called “Cancelled N Cutter Items”

Campuses undertaking relabeling: 

  • San Diego and Imperial Valley: complete
  • Fresno: ongoing
  • Sonoma: ongoing
  • CalPoly SLO: complete
  • Monterey Bay: complete
  • Northridge: complete
  • San Francisco: ongoing
  • Humboldt: complete
The letter "O" to organize materials by Asian authors in the library's physical collectionsFollow Pitt’s practice and replace “O” with “A” in call numbers for materials by, about, or relating to Asian people [getting updated link to Pitt practice]

Call numbers for people addressed by Library of Congress; numbers with “O” for languages not addressed by LC

  • Alma: /Shared Folders/Community/Reports/Institutions/SDSU/Items with cancelled O Cutters

Campuses undertaking relabeling: 

  • Sonoma: complete
  • Fresno: ongoing
  • San Diego: complete
  • San Francisco: ongoing
  • Northridge: complete
  • Humboldt: complete

Inclusive language and alternate vocabularies

ProblemActionStatus
Inadequate options for LGBTQ+ descriptors in Library of Congress Subject Headings (i.e. “sexual minorities”)Utilize terms from the Homosaurus , a linked data vocabulary designed to be more inclusive of the nuances of the LGBTQ+ community. Also use terms from the GSSO  (Gender, Sex, and Sex Orientation ontology), which covers a wider range of topics that the Homosaurus.

Currently being discussed by the task force. Recommendation approved by COLD: Using alternative vocabularies for LGBTQ+ materials .

Adapted from University of Central Oklahoma -working on getting a working link to UCO

Revisions to Name Authority Records

California State University Libraries are a member of NACO , the name authority cooperative program. As such, we have the ability to create and edit records in the Library of Congress Name Authority File . If you are a creator with a record in the name authority file and you would like information added or changed, we would be happy to help.

Contact either Allison: abailund@sdsu.edu, Kathy: kathleen.boyd@sdsu.edu or Julie: jumoore@csufresno.edu and we’ll update your record as soon as possible.

DEI Exclude List for Primo VE

The DEI exclusion list is a feature available in Primo VE. This is done in Configuration > Discovery > Other > DEI List of terms to exclude from Subject heading. Note, this is a bit misleading, it excludes it from the Facets > Topic/Subject, but not the subject field in bibliographic record.

For more information, see Configuring the DEI Exclude List from Ex Libris. 

For a current list of terms the task force has compiled:

DEI Exclude List 

To submit another term to be added to the list:

Form: DEI Exclude List 

Additional Recommended Sites and Sources

SACO Funnels (whose work focuses on updating LCSH)

*IDTF members are part of the Funnel and are happy to take ideas to Funnel meetings.