Charge

This group will develop strategies to promote inclusive practices in standard controlled vocabularies used by Cornell University Library. This may include local best practices for creating name authority records, application of subject headings, and taking action to address problematic language in extant controlled vocabularies. 

We envision this as being ongoing work, performed by this group along with any other interested staff members.  

This work will include, but not be limited to the following:

  • Creation of an LCSH "response team." The members of this group will form the initial core of the response team. 
  • Identify and document areas where existing subject treatment is inadequate (e.g., women, underrepresented groups) and prioritize which of these we are able to address actively in our data. 
  • Identify and explore controlled vocabularies to address areas not well represented in LCSH – e.g.: Homosaurus, AAT. 
  • Propose application of these controlled vocabularies to supplement LCSH's inadequate treatment of heterosexuality, Christianity, maleness, whiteness, etc. as the unspoken norm.
  • Develop workflows to identify materials needing this additional work in both regular and batch cataloging. 
  • Application of Inclusive descriptive principles to "traditional" authority work, e.g. gender representation in names/agents, including trans and nonbinary persons.
  • Consulting with appropriate subject matter experts to counter our own inherent biases. 

Membership

  • Jenn Colt
  • Laura E. Daniels
  • Steven Folsom
  • Jackie Magagnosc
  • Margaret Nichols (lead)
  • Nicholas Norton
  • No labels