1. The Ethics of Maintaining LCSH
A presentation for the CaMMS Forum
ALA Midwinter 2017
Janis L. Young
Policy and Standards Division
Library of Congress

2. History
Subject Headings Used in the Dictionary Catalogues of the Library of Congress (1914)
Based on List of Subject Headings for Use in Dictionary Catalogs (1895)
Foundation of the principle of literary warrant

3. The Proposal Process Literary warrant
Headings are proposed as needed for materials being cataloged
Headings are based on usage in materials and reference sources

4. The Proposal Process Proposal is scheduled for a Tentative List
Posted for public comment
LC catalogers and catalogers in SACO institutions are particularly encouraged to comment on proposals

5. The Proposal Process Policy specialists Review every proposal
Was sufficient research provided?
Is the concept appropriate for LCSH?
Is the proposal properly formatted?
Does the heading reflect the research, the rules on LCSH style and syntax, and precedent?
Are the BT, RT, and UF references appropriate?
Should there be a scope note? If so, how should it be worded?

6. The Proposal Process Policy specialists Consider all of the comments
Determine whether each individual proposal should be approved
Write and distribute the Summary of Decisions
Publish the Approved List

7. The Proposal Process Proposals approved in FY2016
2,600 proposals for new headings
260 proposals for revisions to existing headings
760 proposals for other miscellaneous changes
110 proposals rejected in FY2016

8. ALA Code of Ethics
Principle 1 We provide the highest level of service to all library users through appropriate and usefully organized resources; equitable service policies; equitable access; and accurate, unbiased, and courteous responses to all requests.

9. Usefully Organized Resources
African American biologists
Buildings—Retrofitting
Chong language
Estuarine ecohydrology
Historical poetry, Ukrainian
Small interfering RNA
Wildcat Mountain State Park (Wis.)

10. Usefully Organized Resources
Binge watching (Television)
Garden gnomes
Slushies (Beverages)
Autonomous vehicles
Gender-neutral toilet facilities
Stop and frisk (Law enforcement)

11. Usefully Organized Resources
McKinley, Mount (Alaska)
Denali, Mount (Alaska)

12. Usefully Organized Resources
Buddhist dance Architecture, Buddhist Christian libraries Inscriptions, Christian Hindu chronology Arts, Hindu
Buddhist dance
Buddhist architecture
Christian libraries
Christian inscriptions
Hindu chronology
Hindu arts

13. ALA Code of Ethics
Principle 6 We do not advance private interests at the expense of library users, colleagues, or our employing institutions.

14. ALA Code of Ethics Principle 7
We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties and do not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair representation of the aims of our institutions or the provision of access to their information resources.

15. Avoid Personal Bias
Casa del Diablo (San Luis Tehuiloyocan, Mexico)

16. Avoid Biased Terminology
1924: Cripples
1956: Physically handicapped
2001: People with disabilities
Reflects the people-first movement

17. Avoid Biased Terminology
Women as [profession]
Women as accountants
Women as librarians
Women accountants
Women librarians
Pattern discontinued in 1973

18. Base Decisions on Research
Monographs
Encyclopedias and dictionaries
Newspapers
Peer-reviewed journal articles
Indexing and abstracting services
Authoritative websites
etc.

19. Base Decisions on Research
Proposal: Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Crash, 2015
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Incident, 2015
Hijacked?
Crashed?
Pilot error?
Pilot suicide?
Bombed?
Disappeared?

20. Base Decisions on Research
Events in Syria began in 2010 as part of the Arab Spring
Heading proposed in 2012
Civil war
Clashes
Deadly clashes
Demonstrations
“Where possible, use conventional terminology or the generally accepted name in English.”
– SHM H 1592
Insurgency
Protests
Unrest
Uprising

21. Base Decisions on Research
Syria—History—Protests, 2011-
Syria—History—Civil War, 2011-
Syria—History—Demonstrations, 2011-
Syria—History—Rebellion, 2011-
Syria—History—Revolt, 2011-
Syria—History—Revolution, 2011-
Syria—History—Unrest, 2011-
Syria—History—Uprising, 2011-
Syrian Civil War, Syria, Syrian demonstrations , Syria, Syrian protests, Syria, Syrian rebellion, Syria, Syrian revolt, Syria, Syrian revolution, Syria, Syrian unrest, Syria, Syrian uprising, Syria, 2011-

22. Base Decisions on Research
Syria—History—Protests, 2011-
September 2013
“Syria’s civil war”
—John Kerry
“A brutal civil war”
—Barack Obama
“Syrian Civil War” —Britannica

23. Base Decisions on Research
Syria—History—Civil War, 2011-
Syria—History—Demonstrations, 2011-
Syria—History—Protests, 2011-
Syria—History—Rebellion, 2011-
Syria—History—Revolt, 2011-
Syria—History—Revolution, 2011-
Syria—History—Unrest, 2011-
Syria—History—Uprising, 2011-
Syrian Civil War, Syria, Syrian demonstrations , Syria, Syrian protests, Syria, Syrian rebellion, Syria, Syrian revolt, Syria, Syrian revolution, Syria, Syrian unrest, Syria, Syrian uprising, Syria, 2011-

24. Maintaining LCSH is… an enormous responsibility…

25. “A good librarian knows that the best way to file a book is to understand how a reader would classify it themselves.”
–Roger Warner, Librarians are the New Napoleons

26. Maintaining LCSH is… an enormous responsibility
Maintaining LCSH is… an enormous responsibility... tedious and occasionally frustrating… and an awesome privilege.

27. Questions?