Metadata-Focused DEIA Training

As part of its commitment to DEIA, the Music Library Association requires all members of its administrative structure, committees, and subcommittees to complete implicit bias training or other trainings in anti-racism, DEIA, or cultural competency (Administrative Handbook VI.A.3, VI.A.6). The Cataloging and Metadata Committee has identified several freely available online resources that meet this service commitment with a focus on areas core to the mission of CMC, metadata and linked data.

These are only several of many outstanding presentations, trainings, webinars, projects, best practices, and publications on these topics. We hope this will be of use for our members and of general interest, and that they will spark interest in exploring the important past, present, and future work in this area.

CMC-Sponsored Programming

● “Improving Representation and Access through Ethical Description,” Music Library Association-Theater Library Association annual meeting, March 3, 2023 (presentation). Kristi Bergland, Allison McClanahan, Treshani Perera. Recording (Vimeo) and Slides (Humanities Commons)

Forums, Presentations, and Trainings (reverse chronological order)

● “Less Talk, More Action: Adventures in Inclusive Metadata,” Atla, October 11, 2023 (webinar). Originally presented as a session at ALA Annual 2023. Program: Jill Annitto, Atla, “In the beginning, there were 84,000 words: A case for clean-up,” Cynthia M. Whitacre, OCLC: “DEI and OCLC Metadata” Heidy Berthoud, Library of Congress: “A revised classification for Ukraine: Update on work at the Library of Congress”. Recording, slides, and audio transcript; accept browser cookies to view recording.

● “Using the Homosaurus as a Tool for Reparative Description and Community Building with Queer Collections,” ARLIS/NA, April 21, 2023 (presentation). Panelists: Sal Hamerman; Sara Howard. Recording.

● OCLC Cataloging Community Meeting, January 28, 2022. Diversity, equity, and inclusion presentations: Using the Homosaurus controlled vocabulary in both OCLC Connexion and in the local catalog (Adrian Williams); DEI in public library consortia: Trusting, collaborating, and thriving (Misty Alvaro); OCLC metadata DEI (Cynthia Whitacre). Recordings, slides, and summaries with resource lists.

● “Metadata to Support Indigenous Knowledge and Non-Traditional Outputs,” NISO, December 6, 2021. Stacy Allison-Cassin; Melissa Stoner. Abstract, recording, slides, and resource list.

● “Authors, Authority, and Identity: Facilitating Self-Identification for Discovery and Inclusive Knowledge Production” November 3, 2021. Program: Julia Bullard: “Ambushing Authors with the Catalogue: What Creators Can Tell Us about Identity Terms”; Hannah Carton: “Identifying Adoptee Research: Adoption Thesis Compilation”; B.M. Watson: “Naming Names: Facilitating Inclusivity for Authorial Self-Naming”; Amber Billey: “Recording Gender: An Ethical Cataloging Conundrum”; Ciyadh Wells: “Accountability and Evaluation: How to Review Your Work and Do Better for Your Community.” Recordings, presentation materials, and notes.

● “Metadata to Support DEIA,” NISO, October 4, 2021. Treshani Perera; Merrilee Proffitt; and Brian M. (Bri) Watson. Abstract, recording, slides, and resource list.

● “Curationist: Designing a Metadata Standard and Taxonomy for an Open Cultural Ecosystem,” Sharon Mizota, 2020 DLF Forum, November 10, 2020. Recorded presentation.