LCSH to Local Subject Headings (Decolonizing the Catalog)

Department: Technical Services

Much of this text is from the Triangle Research Libraries Network’s subject remapping documentation and adapted for Valparaiso University’s use.

Background

In an effort to improve the subject terms used in the Library’s catalog/discovery layer to better represent diverse populations, and to change existing subject terms that may be exclusionary or divisive, Technical Services is collecting suggestions to overlay existing problematic subject headings with alternative vocabulary terms. 

We have the ability to overlay these problematic subject headings. An example of a term that has already been overlaid includes “Illegal aliens” (overlaid with “Undocumented immigrants”). The full list of overlaid terms is available for review. The remapping only applies to subject headings. If “Illegal aliens” displays elsewhere, such as title, then this information will not be overlaid with “Undocumented immigrants”.

Process

Technical Services will consider submitted problematic subject headings quarterly.  Suggestions will be reviewed. If necessary, outside subject experts may be consulted.  Once approved for revision, alternative subject headings will be pulled from existing sources such as WorldCat or other institutions’ lists (e.g. Triangle Research Libraries Network). Once a subject heading and its replacement have been identified, the steps described on page 6 of this document will be taken to replace the subject heading.

Once subject headings have been replaced, Technical Services will replace the authority record for the problematic heading with a locally created authority record reflecting the alternative subject heading.   The local record will include “See from” references for any unauthorized forms of the heading as well as the problematic heading.

Suggest a Subject Heading
Users can submit problematic subject headings for possible revision by emailing Alison Downey. If you have a preferred replacement term (not required), include that with the source of the suggested subject heading. Technical Services reviews, researches, and documents decisions made for each suggested term. Some terms have been extensively discussed in broader communities and we can point to this work when making our recommendations, but some suggestions may require consulting with others to determine whether a term should be remapped as part of this program and what is the preferred term. Ultimately, the Technical Services Team reviews the recommended terms to remap and if they approve, the terms are revised and become visible to end users.  Updates will then be made on a quarterly basis.