(Meta)data Analysis for DEI
Following the long overdue cancellation of the LCSH “Illegal alien” many libraries are assessing options for remediating problematic description in their catalogs. This presentation will describe a method of evaluating LCSH corresponding to historically marginalized populations—women, African Americans, indigenous peoples, and LGBTQIA+ people—by measuring cooccurrences of LCSH and LCC across a library’s collections. The results offer a holistic perspective of description of these populations and produced data that can help guide collection development and resource description decisions.
Speakers
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Brian ClarkSystems & Technical Processes Librarian, University of Alabama
He/Him/His
Brian Clark received his MLS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2015. After graduating, Brian spent several years in various staff positions at UIUC. He moved to Tuscaloosa, AL in 2021 where he was hired as a Metadata Librarian, then moved into his current role as Systems & Technical Processes Librarian later that year. Brian is particularly interested in scripting languages and programmatic solutions, and equity of access in academic libraries. -
Catherine SmithCoordinator of Metadata, The University of Alabama LibrariesShe/Her/Hers
Catherine Smith is the Coordinator of Metadata at The University of Alabama Libraries. She earned her MLIS from the University of Kentucky and also holds B.A.s in History and French Language and Literature from Auburn University.