[Metadatalibrarians] ALCTS Cataloging and Classification Research Interest Group, 2019 ALA Annual Program

[Sai Deng]

**Please excuse cross-postings**
2019 ALA Annual Program Announcement: ALCTS Cataloging and Classification Research Interest Group
The ALCTS CaMMS Cataloging & Classification Research Interest Group is pleased to announce its program at the ALA Annual Conference to be held in Washington, D.C, Marriott Marquis Hotel, Georgetown University Room on Sunday, June 23, 2019, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

This year's theme is "Thinking Outside the Book: Research on Non-traditional Cataloging & Classification" featuring five presentations that will address a variety of topics including research on digital publication metadata automation, linked data cataloging, GIS enabled geographic names, biases in classification and subject headings, and LGBTQAI+ material inclusion in school libraries.

Regular Talks (15 minutes each)
Automated Classification at the German National Library
Ulrike Junger, Head, Domain Acquisition and Cataloguing, German National Library/Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
In 2006 the German National Library's (Deutsche Nationalbibliothek/DNB) collection mandate was expanded to digital publications. It soon became clear that the vast amount of digital publications that the library received via legal deposit could not be processed in the traditional way. It was therefore decided that digital publications would not be catalogued intellectually by the library. Instead, they have to be delivered together with descriptive metadata to create catalogue records However, subject metadata are usually not delivered. Therefore the DNB started to develop and apply software based procedures to automatically generate and assign subject metadata to digital publications. This encompasses the assignment of DDC-based subject categories which are used to structure the German National Bibliography and assigned to every publication collected. The DNB also started to develop sets of DDC short notations which are apt for automated assignment. The presentation will describe the automated classification procedures, the results and problems as well as the design of the DDC short notations and the experiences with their automated assignment to digital documents so far.

Cataloging in A Linked Data Environment: An Exploration by the University of Colorado Boulder
Jim Kalwara, Special Materials Cataloging Librarian, University of Colorado Boulder
Erik Radio, Metadata Librarian, University of Colorado Boulder
As a recently added member to Linked Data for Production, 2nd Cohort (LD4P2), several catalogers at the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries have been working with Sinopia, the Sinopia Profile Editor, and the BIBFRAME Editor to explore how original and copy cataloging may be performed in a linked data environment. The following presentation will discuss some of the training and experimentation involved in this project thus far by looking at a couple of example metadata profiles (i.e., digital photographs and kits) developed by members of the LD4P2 Profiles Working Group and share perspectives on how members of the cataloging community can begin building familiarity with the Sinopia environment and BIBFRAME. After attending this presentation, individuals will hopefully have a better understanding of linked data principles as they relate to cataloging concepts within BIBFRAME and some of the challenges surrounding the process of performing original and copy cataloging in linked data environment.

Making Library of Congress Geographic Names GIS Enabled
Haiqing Lin, Head, Technical Services, C.V. Starr East Asian Library, University of California, Berkeley
Karen Yu, Head of East Asian Technical Services, University of Chicago Library
The Library of Congress Library of Congress Name Authority File contains huge numbers of evidence based geographic names. It is a highly valuable resource developed by professional library catalogers following established roles and guidelines.  Library of Congress has published this collection as linked data to support interactive and machine access.  However, due to its encoding format, it is currently not accessible by various GIS software directly. An experiment now has been designed and conducted to explore the possibility of solving this problem. By assigning geo-coordinate information to the geographic name records, this experiment is intended to develop a RESTful web service based on Library of Congress Linked data services and republish names in geographic data format, such as KML, Geojson as well as csv. Thus, the Library of Congress geographic names (now being republished as geodata) will be able to be embedded into GIS software. The experiment will demonstrate a use case which shows geographic distribution of library collection and the suggested approach of recording /encoding geographic coordinates-(1) using decimal degrees to record latitude and longitude geographic coordinates; (2) introducing name space http://www.w3.org/2003/01/geo/wgs84_pos# for Library of Congress geographic names linked data services.

Light Talks (6 minutes each)
"An astronaut, a nurse, and a prostitute walk into a library...": How to Effectively Explain Our Value to Non-Catalogers
Amanda Ros, Coordinator of Monograph Copy Cataloging, Texas A&M University
How many times have you heard "you're not a real librarian because you don't work with the public?"  The majority of catalogers I know self-identify as introverts. Sometimes it's hard to explain what we do and why it's important because the words we use sound like a foreign language to others.  My recent research has focused on explaining the biases in classification and subject headings to non-library audiences. Sharing my research with non-cataloging colleagues has also helped them understand that we do more than "slap a barcode and a spine label on a book". It is critically important that we explain our value in a way that doesn't make others tune us out faster than you can say "authority control".  This presentation will show how to better explain our relevance by talking about the unintentional--and sometimes intentional--bias of library catalogs due to classification numbers and subject terms. Outdated terms, lack of knowledge, and implicit bias can lead to incorrect analysis which can then lead to items not reaching those who need them.

Classification and Cataloging of LGBTQAI+ Material in the Elementary School Library
Linda Garrison, Doctoral Candidate, Texts and Technology, University of Central Florida
The purpose of this study is to determine if elementary school libraries in the Tampa Bay area provide collections which include LGBTQAI+ material, and, if they do, to explore how that material is classified and cataloged. I will be exploring if the LGBTQAI+ literature is easily located by students and faculty, or, conversely, if the library classification and cataloging tools and practices restrict non-normative students' self-acceptance by either misrepresenting them or by not representing them at all. To answer these questions, I will be interviewing private and public elementary school librarians to discover how they manage their library: what cataloging and classifications practices and tools they use when processing LGBTQAI+ material; how they employ tacit knowledge in these practices; and how they manage censorship issues. I will also collect descriptive statistics about school population and religious affiliation, library staffing, size and makeup of collection, budget (when possible), and circulation statistics. This information will allow a thick description of each librarian's decisions, thus contextualizing their collection management procedures. The school library is a place where students should find a rich, diverse, inclusive collection of books which reflect their lived lives, including those who are, or who have friends and family members who are, members of the LGBTQAI+ community. By making previously black-boxed, inherently biased classification and cataloging tools and practices transparent, my research will hopefully help librarians make and justify subject headings and classifications that elementary school patrons will find useful and affirming.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in the session!

CCRIG Co-Chairs, 2018-2019
Becky Skeen  becky.skeen at usu.edu
Sai Deng  sai.deng at ucf.edu

CCRIG Co-Vice Chairs, 2018-2019
Amy Bailey  abbailey at indiana.edu
Jianying Shou  jianying.shou at duke.edu