Inclusive Description at the University of Tulsa Libraries: Reparative Actions at TU

Cataloging is the practice of creating metadata (a set of data that describes other data), that describes items such as print books, ebooks, or other items that are in our library collections. Metadata can include information about a title, an author, a subject, or a publisher, and can indicate whether something is a print or ebook.

Including accurate metadata in a catalog record makes it discoverable in our online catalog and ensures that users can find what they're looking for and differentiate between multiple copies or formats. 

Critical cataloging applies ethical and inclusive practices to description, classification, and local cataloging standards. Critical cataloging, also known as ethical cataloging, radical cataloging, or reparative cataloging, is based on principles of critical librarianship. This aspect of librarianship acknowledges and questions how our library and archival systems are built on historical, political, and social biases.

Reparative description is the retroactive work that strives to address bias in our metadata. Often reparative description takes the form of reviewing records, revising offensive and/or outdated, and adding historical context to library and archival records. At the University of Tulsa, our work currently consists of identifying and updating problematic subject headings, adding content advisories, and standardizing local cataloging practices.

Reparative description does not seek to forget previous descriptive practices, but instead to acknowledge and remedy it. 

Summer 2025

• Published Critical Cataloging and Reparative Description LibGuide. 

Spring 2025

• Met with Provost to discuss Statement on Inclusive Description at the University of Tulsa Libraries as well as Inclusive Description LibGuide. Made final edits. 

Fall 2024

• Began work on LibGuide to detail work on critical cataloging and reparative description at the University of Tulsa Libraries.
• Drafted statement on Reparative Metadata at the University of Tulsa Libraries. Met with library administration to make edits.  
• Began identifying problematic subject headings in the library and archival catalogs. 
• Created a cross-departmental Reparative Cataloging Initiative to begin addressing language and subject issues in the University of Tulsa library and archival catalogs. Library staff working on this initiative meet monthly to ensure the long-term sustainability of critical cataloging work. Some actions taken: creating institutional language standards for library metadata, sharing resources on critical description, discussing projects and collections that require reparative description, and encouraging cross-department discussions to discuss progress and suggestions for the overall initiative.

Summer 2024

• Created statement advocating for Reparative Metadata and Critical Description at the University of Tulsa. This document identified areas in the book and archival catalogs concerning classification, subject heading usage, and general language standards in description. 
• Began evaluating library catalog for problematic and outdated subject headings.

• The bias hiding in your library     
• List of statements on bias in library and archives description – Cataloging Lab 
• Archives for Black Lives in Philadelphia, “Anti-Racist Description Resources” October 2019  
• Can There Be Neutrality in Cataloging? A Conversation Starter   
• Crowdsourced list of DEI-specific controlled vocabularies (maintained by the AMIA Cataloging & Metadata Committee)  
• DPLA Workshop Series - Practical Approaches to Reparative Description: A Workshop Series with Wide Appeal 
• Guiding Principles for Reparative Description at NARA | National Archives 
• Radical Cataloging:  Using alternative subject headings locally to promote inclusiveness and diversity 
• Queering the Catalog: Queer Theory and the Politics of Correction  
• Decolonising Through Critical Librarianship 
• Collection of resources compiled by Simmons University.  
• A Guide to Inclusive and Reparative Archival Description

If you encounter offensive and/or outdated language in our metadata, and/or have feedback, questions, or concerns surrounding our description, please fill out our Problematic Language Report Form. Library staff will review the description and determine what updates need to be made, if any. Revisions to records may encompass providing additional context, replacing outdated terminology, and/or incorporating other controlled vocabularies to address gaps in our description, as well as adding content advisories if deemed appropriate. 

If you would like to discuss critical cataloging and reparative description at the University of Tulsa, please contact:

• General Collections:
  • Jaymi Bouziden - Head of Technical Services (jaymi-bouziden@utulsa.edu)
• Special Collections and University Archives:
  • Brandis Malone - Special Collections Cataloging Librarian (brandis-malone@utulsa.edu)