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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia Pro",serif">A colleague has brought my attention to this admirable
<a href="https://clarklibrary.ucla.edu/research/statementoncataloging/">statement on cataloging</a> at the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library. I believe this is the central idea (but I encourage folks to read the entirety):<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia Pro",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">The Clark Library is revising our cataloging practices, checking records for accuracy and to eliminate, whenever possible, language that is biased or racist. We are updating metadata especially in instances when
the historical narrative needs to be challenged or when greater social context needs to be included.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia Pro",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia Pro",serif">I believe a lot of institution are drafting similar language. At Yale, we have (so far) a
<a href="https://guides.library.yale.edu/specialcollections/statementondescription">
Statement on Harmful Language in Archival Description</a>, which includes mention of our efforts in reparative work.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia Pro",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia Pro",serif">In light of statements such as this, I wonder:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia Pro",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Georgia Pro",serif">Has anyone undertaken a statement that acknowledges the difficulty presented by harmful language in
<i>transcribed</i> fields, especially in historical special collections material?<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:"Georgia Pro",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="2" type="1">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:"Georgia Pro",serif">The statements that I’ve encountered so far all exist outside of the catalog proper. Are there any such statements within a catalog interface,
e.g. in a footer or other boilerplate? Has anyone considered adding explanatory statements directly to a catalog record that has particularly harmful language (presumably transcribed)?<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family:"Georgia Pro",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia Pro",serif">Francis<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia Pro",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia Pro",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Francis Lapka</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Senior Catalogue Librarian</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Department of Rare Books and Manuscripts</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Yale Center for British Art</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">203-432-9672 · </span><a href="mailto:francis.lapka@yale.edu"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">francis.lapka@yale.edu</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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