We began with the LGBTQ+ subject headings in our catalog for two main reasons. The first was the existence of Homosaurus, an international linked data vocabulary centered around LGBTQ+ terms. As an established alternate controlled vocabulary, Homosaurus helps us align with the work other institutions are performing. The second was project member identity. As stated on the landing page, we cannot–and do not!--speak for the entire LGBTQ+ community at large, but our lived experiences as members of the LGBTQ+ community provide intersectional perspectives and a personal investment in the work.
It’s important to note that queerness, in its many forms, inherently escapes the confines of description and hard categorization. One of the beautiful things about the LGBTQ+ community is how it embraces and encourages various forms of self-expression, identity, and language. People within the community express themselves in a myriad of ways, including but not limited to the words they choose for themselves. The language you see in our subject headings are not meant to be definitive definitions of all individuals who utilize that terminology for themselves. It is, however, our best attempt at ensuring that folks are able to find the resources they want within our collection.
To learn more about searching for LGBTQ+ terms in Primo, or to read about the evolution of language regarding the LGBTQ+ community, check out the drop-down menu located on the "LGBTQ+ Subject Headings" tab.
May 2023: A list of the Library of Congress Subject Headings regarding LGBTQ+ people, history, and terms was compiled into a spreadsheet. Resources on critical cataloging, and examples of research guides (like this one!) were pulled.
June 2023: The 706 term spreadsheet was examined. First, we searched for the Subject Heading in our own catalog and notated how many records we had in our system with that Subject Heading. We then compared the Library of Congress Subject Heading to the Subject Headings listed in Homosaurus. After some deliberation and discussion, we identified the terms we would amend by adding updated and inclusive subject headings.
July 2023: Work began on the creation of this research guide. We also began implementing the aforementioned additions into our catalog records.
Homosaurus, “an international linked data vocabulary of LGBTQ+ terms.” We used Homosaurus’s vocabulary as our main resource for cross-referencing the Library of Congress Subject Headings to find acceptable alternatives. You can read more about Homosaurus’s history as well as their board here.
Metadata Best Practices for Trans and Gender Diverse Resources. Compiled by the Trans Metadata Collective, the document “is designed to serve as a resource for workers in cultural heritage institutions who create metadata about trans and gender diverse people, communities, resources and/or topics.”
Inclusive Metadata & Conscious Editing Resources. A document compiled by the SSDN Metadata Working Group that contains links to several invaluable resources spanning across all areas of critical cataloging.
Stella’s Guide to Writing About Sex Work. Stella, a community organization “created and run by and for sex workers,” seeks to “provide support and information to and about sex workers.” We used Stella’s Guide to examine and adjust subject headings regarding sex work.
Chicago History Museum’s Disability LibGuide. This blog was immensely useful in structuring our own LibGuide.
The Marshall Project “What Words We Use” was incredibly helpful when researching preferred terminology regarding individuals within the prison industrial complex.
If you’d like to give back to LGBTQ+ organizations in Chicago, local paper Block Club Chicago compiled a list of 15 Chicago-based LGBTQ+ groups dedicated to the LGBTQ+ folks in the city and beyond. From health centers to housing, there’s a cause to get behind–and a variety of ways to get involved, like volunteering time or donating money.