1. Diversity and Representation in Library Collections
Carolyn Carpan Collections Strategies Librarian
University of Alberta Libraries

2. University of Alberta Libraries
Member library of ARL
6 subject libraries on main campus, 2 interdisciplinary libraries on satellite campuses
8.7M print volumes; 1.3M ebooks
$26M CAD collections budget
 Located on Treaty 6 / Métis Territory
Member library of ARL
6 subject libraries on main campus, 2 interdisciplinary libraries on satellite campuses
8.7M print volumes; 1.3M ebooks
$26M CAD collections budget
The University of Alberta is located on Treaty 6 territory, traditional lands of First Nations and Métis people.
The University and the Libraries are committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
There is a focus on developing “a thoughtful, respectful, meaningful, and sustainable response to the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada”, which was meant to provide an opportunity for those affected by the legacy of the Indian Residential Schools system to share their stories and experiences. The Canadian Government also recently received the final report from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
We’ve been contributing to the Libraries’ efforts at meeting the Calls to Action for Truth and Reconciliation.

3. Diversity and Representation
LC Subject Headings
How are groups of people classified?
Outdated subject headings
Metadata librarian colleagues
More focus needed
First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples
Asian Canadians
Black Canadians
People living in homelessness and poverty
We want to find ways to improve diversity and representation in the libraries’ collections, and if possible, to do so through our regular workflows such as approval plans.
I looked at Library of Congress Subject Headings:
How are groups of people classified?
We know there are problems with outdated subject headings:
Illegitimacy. Unmarried mothers.
Paternity. Legitimation of children. Single mothers.
Mendicancy. Vagabondism. Tramps. Homelessness.
Show clip of Cher video for “Grypsies, Tramps and Thieves” – Start 24 seconds, End 33 seconds
Begging. Poverty. Impoverished people. Homeless people.
More focus needed on Black Canadians, people living in homelessness and Poverty, and Asian Canadians, in subject headings and resources in the collection.
Do these resources exist? Has scholarly research about these groups been published?!? What has been published?

4. Diversity and Representation
Review of approval plans
Are there subjects that need more / better coverage?
Interdisciplinary Subject Headings
Aboriginal / Native Studies
Northern Studies
Gender / Sexualities Studies
Asian Studies
Award Books
Scholarly associations
Literary awards
Genre fiction awards
Review of approval plans:
Are there subjects that need more / better coverage?
My colleague is leading a review of the approval plans. My role is to find ways to improve representation in the collections via the approval plans.
I’ve been looking at LC subject headings and the Interdisciplinary Subject Headings in Coutts Oasis.
I’m trying to determine if collecting by Interdisciplinary Subject Headings is helpful. Maybe it is redundant?
Interdisciplinary Subject Headings
Aboriginal / Native Studies
Northern Studies
Gender / Sexualities Studies
Asian Studies
If the Interdisciplinary Subject Headings are helpful, is it possible to add new ones to Coutts Oasis? Disability Studies, Poverty Studies
Award books
Scholarly Associations
Literary Awards
Genre fiction awards
Recommended a list of ~60 awards or organizations that grant awards.
These could be used to make sure we collect the best literature in certain subject areas where we don’t need everything – e.g. African American Studies, Native American Studies, etc.

5. Indigenous Resources Identifying gaps in monograph collections
Subject bibliographies - health, women’s writing
Identifying publishers U of T List of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Publishers
Identifying films for the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Playlist
Began with a small project focused on Indigenous representation in the libraries’ collections.
Moved to approval plans in Checked to see if we dropped publishers or authors in this shift.
Authors: Between 2014 and 2017, we did not pick up all titles from several important Indigenous authors, including Lee Maracle, because she publishes with several publishers, and we were not set up to receive books from all her publishers on the approval plans. In Fall 2018, we also purchased missing titles for an outreach event focused on promoting Indigenous authors.
Publishers: I identified a few publishers not already on the approval plans, but they were either out of business or they were unable to work with ProQuest on our approval plans.
Films for First Nations, Metis and Inuit Playlist - Started with titles available on the subscription CanCore platform, then we began purchasing a few films and series for the playlist. We continue to add titles from CanCore - we recently added the titles from RedX Talks. We also purchased streaming versions of films from First Nations Films and McIntyyre Media is hosting them on the First Nations, Metis and Inuit playlist.

7. Indigenous Representation
Curriculum materials for Education:
Red Rising Magazine and curriculum units
4 Seasons of Reconciliation
Language learning materials
Education librarians found curriculum materials including Red Rising Magazine and 4 Seasons of Reconciliation.
The Education library recently created a list of Indigenous language learning materials and we recently completed the purchase of individual titles.
I’m a member of the The Alberta Library Licensing Service Committee. We recently set up an online space to discuss resources, share information about resources, post lists of title, etc.

9. Summary Is there representation in scholarly literature?
How can we collect materials that reflect diversity and representation in our automated workflows?
Are approval plans the best way to ensure diversity and representation in library collections?
Is there representation in the scholarly literature? Does other “literature” exist?
Has research been done by or about groups not represented in library collections?
Has other work been “published”?
I spoke to a librarian at a local university who told me a librarian was going to local Indigenous events to collect resources like music CDs, DVDs, self-published materials, etc.
How can we collect materials that reflect diversity and representation in our automated workflows?
How do we collect information by and about marginalized groups that may not be published by traditional publishers?
(e.g. self-published book Violence Against Indigenous People in Canada by Jen Mt. Pleasant, who is from the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in southern Ontario)
How do we collect information from groups with different ways of keeping and sharing knowledge? E.g.. Oral cultures of Indigenous peoples
Are approval plans the best way to ensure diversity and representation in library collections? Maybe not. If not, what else might help these efforts that will also fit into our current day workflows?

10. Collection Strategies Librarian University of Alberta Libraries
Carolyn Carpan
Collection Strategies Librarian
University of Alberta Libraries