APLA Conference 2022

Structured vocabularies such as Library of Congress Subject Headings are rooted in colonial conceptualizations of knowledge. Subject headings that include the term “Indian” are examples of this outdated view of knowledge organization. One step toward meeting Recommendation 5 of the CFLA-FCAB Truth and Reconciliation Committee to "Decolonize Access and Classification…”, is to replace subject headings referring to Indigenous peoples with more culturally appropriate terms.

This presentation includes some of the history and thought processes behind the need for updating subject headings, how it impacts users of the library and the people of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and shares the methods being used at Memorial University of Newfoundland to decolonize the subject headings in our bibliographic records. Although not a complete solution, this important change will make our discovery layer more inclusive and welcoming to all our patrons.