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Indigenizing Citations at Camosun

Library categorization systems

Library categorization systems shape how we access and understand information. They influence:

  • the information we access 
  • the ways we think about words and their meanings

The goal of these standards is to make information accessible to library users. 

Many academic libraries and publishers use the Library of Congress (LOC) system of cataloguing. This includes the Camosun Library, and the majority of resources accessible through the library.

Subject headings and research 
Subject headings are part of library categorization systems. They are words chosen to describe and organize things and ideas. When you search library databases, your keywords are matched with related subject headings to retrieve relevant information. In this way, subject headings are an integral part of the research process.

LOC subject headings are political
The American Library of Congress first published a list of subject headings in 1898. The list has been regularly added to throughout the years. But, no system to challenge or update a subject heading existed until the 1990s. 

Challenging or adding new subject headings is a complex, time-consuming process. Members of the Library of Congress (American political representatives) vote to adopt changes. As a result, many LOC subject headings:

  • are rooted in colonialism
  • express Western world views
  • uphold values of white supremacy
  • are outdated, racist, or derogatory

This is especially true when referencing specific Indigenous communities or groups. For example:

  • names created for Indigenous groups by cultural outsiders may still be in use 
  • words that have changed over time may not have been updated 
  • no terms may exist to describe specific issues disproportionately impacting Indigenous people (see “Suggestions for searching” on the MMIWG2S guide)

Searching for Indigenous topics
There are 3 key search strategies to offset these challenges and help you find ample information related to Indigenous topics: 

  1. combine search terms
  2. be specific 
  3. use synonyms and alternative spellings

Combining search terms
When researching an Indigenous topic, combine subject terms to retrieve effective results. This may mean including outdated or offensive terms. For example, “Indians of North America” is a standard LOC term used in most academic libraries. This term does not reflect how Indigenous Peoples in Canada are described today.

Other words to use include:  

  • Indigenous peoples*
  • Native peoples -- Canada*
  • Native American
  • Aboriginal
  • Métis
  • Inuit
  • First Nations
  • American Indians

A search combining these terms may look like: 

(“Indigenous peoples” OR Aboriginal OR "First Nations" OR Inuit OR Métis)


*You will notice the lower-case "p" in "peoples" in these subject terms. This reflects LOC formatting. Learn more about using capitalization to show respect for Indigenous identities, institutions, and collective rights by visiting the Indigenous Style Elements page. 

Be specific
If you're looking for information on a specific people, search for that group. For example, Haida, Salish, Métis, etc.

Use synonyms or alternate spellings

Many Indigenous words have alternate spellings. This is because words may change over time or have different transcriptions. For example, 

  • Nisga 
  • Niska 
  • Nisga'a

To find the most resources, search using the "OR" operator. A search using these terms may look like: 

(Niska OR Nisga OR Nisga'a)

Decolonization at Camosun Library
Decolonization at the library is an ongoing process that involves acknowledging, questioning, and undoing colonial practices. We are working to decolonize the library collection, research practices, and library spaces.

For detailed information, visit the Decolonizing the Library page.
 

Statement on Decolonizing Description in Camosun Library’s catalogue

Library users and staff may encounter harmful or problematic terminology in their library’s catalogue. Libraries have been complicit in perpetuating a knowledge organization system reflective of a colonial worldview and maintaining colonial approaches to descriptive practice. Libraries using Sitka Evergreen’s Integrated Library System (such as the Camosun Library) have been using controlled, standardized vocabulary derived from Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) to describe and provide subject-based catalogue access to library collections. LCSH terminology used to describe library materials on topics of Indigenous Peoples and cultures have long been recognized as biased, outdated, offensive, and in need of updating to align more closely with preferred terminology, language in use, and providing improved subject-based access to library materials on these topics. 

A shift from reliance upon LCSH for describing library materials on Indigenous topics offers libraries an opportunity to challenge and decenter the cognitive imperialism inherent in LCSH and standardized descriptive practices in order to provide respectful and equitable access to collections. 

As a library member of a consortium, we are committed to:

  • Ongoing learning with humility from professional resources and projects to inform approaches and to improve descriptive practices.
  • Centring care and awareness for library user communities in the ways we approach descriptive practices. 
  • Welcoming diverse perspectives by engaging and consulting library user communities.
  • Perceiving the catalogue as a “living” resource to be maintained and updated with evolving changes to subject-based terminology and descriptive practices.
  • Removing inaccurate, outdated, biased, and offensive subject-based terminology to be replaced with updated subject-based terminology that aims to accurately describe library materials and provide subject-based access with consideration to equitable and inclusive access and retrieval of library materials on Indigenous topics.
  • Engaging with professional development opportunities and resources to inform approaches and to continually improve descriptive practices.
  • Acknowledging the intersectionality of this work, and the harmful effects of LCSH terminology upon diverse groups of library user communities. Future phases of this work will consider and update subject-based terminology for describing materials on topics such as, IBPOC, women, 2SLGBTQ+, neurodiverse people, and people with disabilities.

Please let us know if you have questions. Contact us at libraryresearch@camosun.ca.