Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Document Type
Book
Date of this Version
2024
Citation
Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Digital Press, 2024
Also available at https://www.iastatedigitalpress.com/plugins/books/153/
Pressbooks version: https://iastate.pressbooks.pub/isudp-2024-153/
Beta reader: Sylvie Manuel, Iowa State University Library
Peer reviewers: Violet B. Fox, Northwestern University Galter Library; Angela Kroeger, University of Nebraska Omaha Libraries; Anchalee (Joy) Panigabutra-Roberts, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Libraries
Abstract
Readers will be able to use this handbook to:
• Gain a broad awareness of various DEI-related issues existing in metadata creation and management
• Learn techniques for retroactively reviewing and updating existing metadata to address these issues
• Develop strategies to create metadata that better meets DEI needs. Overview of contents
This handbook may be read cover to cover, but its organization also facilitates skipping to chapters that are relevant to your work or interests. Each chapter focuses on a particular area of metadata work, detailing different ethical considerations and approaches. Each chapter includes examples and use cases related to its topic.
• Chapter 1 covers inclusive description practices in free-text or uncontrolled elements, including titles and summaries. It outlines fundamental principles of inclusive description—relevance, users’ needs, accuracy, and respect—and offers tips for describing identities and determining which form of a name to use. The chapter concludes with strategies for handling cases where outdated or problematic language persists in metadata, including redaction, annotation, harmful language statements, and special genre terms.
• Chapter 2 discusses various ethical considerations around name authorities, including privacy concerns surrounding birth dates, pseudonyms and anonymity, gender, and transgender names. It also acknowledges the complexity of determining the preferred forms of non-English names, including transliteration, spelling, and cultural considerations.
• Chapter 3 explores the use of demographic group headings to describe people or groups. It covers why one may use such headings, what to consider before using them, vocabulary options, and how they can be incorporated into MARC (Machine-Readable Cataloging) and non-MARC metadata.
• Chapter 4 describes issues regarding classification, particularly the historical origins of biases in the Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal classifications. Case studies illustrate two ways to address these biases: keeping current with changes and considering alternative classification systems.
• Chapter 5 addresses biases that exist in subject headings, with a focus on Library of Congress Subject Headings, and ways to mitigate them. Case studies examine two strategies: changing existing headings through the Subject Authority Cooperative Program (SACO) and adding alternative headings to exiting library metadata. The chapter also includes a list of practical questions to consider before implementing alternative subject headings.
• Chapter 6 defines accessibility metadata for physical and digital resources. It explores accessibility Introduction | 5 metadata in MARC and focuses on the emerging importance of web accessibility, not only for inclusivity but also for legal compliance. Examples illustrate best practices for accessibility metadata, including alt text and extended description for images; audio description, captions, and transcripts for audiovisual resources; optical character recognition (OCR) for digitized text, and language information for digital resources.
Readers are welcome to contact metadata@iastate.edu with feedback or questions related to this book
Comments
Copyright 2024, the authors. Open access
License: CC BY 4.0 International