Binghamton University Libraries is committed to fostering spaces that are welcoming and inclusive for all people. That commitment extends to the language we use in our library catalog. We recognize that words matter and strive to respectfully describe the individuals and communities who create, use, and are represented in our collections. We work toward creating more inclusive descriptions by:
- Examining and remediating offensive or harmful language in resource descriptions where we have the authority to make the change.
- Striving for accuracy when making choices about what language to use when updating or writing new descriptions of our materials and centering the language and experience of the groups that the resources describe.
- Advocating to eliminate oppression and bias embedded in national cataloging and metadata standards. We support the use of alternative vocabularies in local and national metadata descriptions to improve resource accessibility and description.
However, you may encounter harmful, biased, or offensive language for the following reasons:
- Language is constantly changing. Many of the resources we provide access to were initially described decades ago. Words or terms that were prevalent then may not be appropriate today and may require updates.
- Our materials are not censored. Some materials may include outdated, biased, or potentially harmful language in their titles, captions, or content. We intentionally retain language transcribed from the resource and creators to preserve the original context of the material.
Binghamton University Libraries is dedicated to balancing efficient and timely creation of metadata with an awareness of the importance of language and its effect on users of our materials and those represented within them. We recognize that this is a continually evolving process and welcome feedback from all sources to learn and adjust our practices. If, while searching our online catalog, you notice inaccurate or problematic language, please let us know through our anonymous feedback form.
Binghamton University Libraries' metadata feedback formThis statement was inspired by the work of the Folger Shakespeare Library, UCLA Clark Library, Temple University Special Collections Research Center, Gustavus Adolphus College Library, and the University of Michigan Libraries.
