Critcatenate is an effort to keep folks up to date on #critcat efforts with a monthly roundup of news. #critcat is short for critical cataloging, an effort focusing on discussing the ethical implications of library metadata, cataloging, and classification standards, practice, and infrastructure.
- New article in Cataloging & Classification Quarterly: “Searching for Paumanok: A Study of Library of Congress Authorities and Classifications for Indigenous Long Island, New York” by Kristen J. Nyitray & Dana Reijerkerk
- Request from author Alex Gino to add a new alternate heading to the book “Melissa’s Story”. WorldCat bib record #900624128 has already been revised, so consider making this revision in your local catalog too.
- Excellent blog post about the Decolonising the Database event, which happened at the University of Brighton July 5th. Author Ananda Rutherford critically discusses efforts to decolonize the description of museum collections.
- “Research Study on Support for Critical Librarianship Efforts in Public Libraries” from Ellis Butler at Clarion University; survey respondents who are in cataloging are especially welcome!
- Author data privacy in libraries by Ros. A great writeup for authors explaining their options for authority control/identity management, written specifically for the Australian library context, but applicable to libraries worldwide.
- Video recording from LD4 conference featuring a project briefing on the “Reimagine Descriptive Workflows” project from OCLC, presented by Merrilee Proffitt, and “Use of the Homosaurus as an alternative controlled vocabulary at the University of Kentucky Libraries,” presented by Adrian Williams.
- “Queering the Linked Data Universe: Word- and World-defining with the Homosaurus” video recording of a presentation at LD4 conference by Bri Watson, Cailin Roles, Jay Colbert, and K.J. Rawson.
- Recording of Ethical Cataloging Workshop from OLAC 2020 conference presented by Gretchen Neidhardt and Violet Fox. The presenters discussed using more inclusive subject headings, shared a variety of local solutions through case studies, and talked about barriers to ethical cataloging.
- New publication: “Social Justice in Cataloging Annotated Bibliography” compiled by Eric Willey, Jeremy Berg, Cathy Chapman, Gretchen Neidhardt, Stephanie Porrata, and Jennifer Young.
- Revisions to LCSH this month include:
- a new heading “Rape in correctional institutions” (Previously, works on this subject were given the LCSH “Prisoners––sexual behavior”. See the proposal for this heading.)
- new heading “Say Her Name movement” (see the proposal for this heading).
- ~20 headings that previously used the phrase “Evacuation and relocation” but now use “Forced removal and relocation”. Thanks to Allison Bailund for the research of these headings!
- Revisions to LCC this month include:
- ~40 class numbers that previously used .N3, .N4, or .N5 to represent topics on “Negroes,” which have now been changed to use Cutters for “Blacks”. (For example, D547.N4, Negroes in World War I, was replaced by D547.B64, Blacks in World War II.)
Upcoming:
- August 12: “Cataloging Queer Library Issues: A Symposium to Honor Walt ‘Cat’ Walker” is not just cataloging, but will feature cataloging and multiple other topics related to queer issues in academic libraries, including a discussion of the Homosaurus vocabulary and reorganizing Vancouver’s Out On The Shelves library. Registration is free.
- November 9: Minitex Technical Services Symposium. This year’s theme will be “Good Trouble: Activism and Ethics in Technical Services”. The speakers will include Kenda Zellner-Smith, who preserved the artwork created in Minneapolis during the George Floyd protests, and Beth Shoemaker discussing the Cataloging Code of Ethics.