Libraries

Permanent URI for this collectionhdl:10365/32220

Publications from the NDSU Libraries may be found at https://hdl.handle.net/10365/29165

Documents relating to the Faculty Library Committee may be found at https://hdl.handle.net/10365/32129

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At Lightning Speed? The Recent Surge of Long-Needed Changes to LCSH
Gross, Tina
In the past few years, changes to longstanding problematic (dehumanizing, pejorative, marginalizing) Library of Congress Subject Headings are being made at an unprecedented rate. Particularly since the "lightning rod" of the urgency of changing the subject heading "Illegal aliens" galvanized the library world in 2016, so many have been changed recently that it's actually hard to keep up! This presentation gives a quick overview of newly created & changed subject headings, subject headings are still unchanged & needed headings that are still lacking, and changes currently in progress (as of March 2023).
Search Terms Up for Debate: The Politics and Purpose of Library Subject Headings
Gross, Tina
The Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) are used by most libraries in the United States to help users find resources in their collections. For the last century, librarians have worked to make LCSH more inclusive and accurate by replacing offensive or racist terms with language that more fully reflects the identities and experiences of diverse populations. This article explains the purpose and function of subject headings and discusses the process by which they are continually updated. The main emphasis of the article is the history of debates and advocacy associated with that process, with a particular focus on the long campaign to change the former subject heading "Illegal aliens."