Collaborative cataloguing ethics: a Code for all seasons

May Chan, Jane Daniels, Sarah Furger, Karen Snow

Members of the Cataloging Ethics Steering Committee

Critical Approaches to Libraries Conference CALC2023 24th May 2023

Agenda

1. The Code - Genesis and creation
2. Cataloguing ethics and collection management
3. The cataloguing ecosystem
4. Applying the 10 statements of ethical principles
5. Breakout room discussions
6. Q&A

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https://sites.google.com/view/cataloging-ethics/home

Code Development Sponsors (2019)

Cataloging & Metadata Management Section

Cataloguing & Metadata Standards Committee

Cataloging & Indexing Group

Development and Engagement Timeline

2017/18 > Need raised for a cataloguing code of ethics at ALA Annual

2019 > Cataloging Ethics Steering Committee (CESC) formed; Working Groups formed and completed reports on six topics

2020 > Two drafts produced, informed by reports and two public consultations

2021 > “Final” version released; ALA endorsement, recommended by Core

2022 > CILIP endorsement, recommended by MDG

2023 > Canadian library community engagement

What inspired the Codes’ creation?

American Library Association Annual Conference 2017 - Cataloging & Metadata Management Section (CaMMS) Forum: Power That Is Moral: Cataloging & Ethics with Hope Olson and Beth Shoemaker.

Growing Critical Cataloging movement - focuses on understanding and changing how knowledge organisations codify systems of oppression

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Creating the Code

American Library Association Midwinter Meeting 2018 - CaMMS Forum: Cooperatively Conscientious Cataloging - “provided a venue for attendees to share their ideas and concerns about the process now underway to develop a code of ethics for the cataloging community.”

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Openness and transparency essential

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Identified principles & values in cataloguing work

• Access to resources and metadata
• Acknowledging bias
• Advocacy
• Collaboration
• Critically applying standards

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• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Education and training
• Respect for agent privacy and preferences
• Responsibility and transparency
• Understanding and meeting user needs

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Why we need a separate Cataloguing Code of Ethics?

• Complements LIS professional Codes of Ethics

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• Recognises the special responsibilities of catalogers

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• Provides agency and empowerment

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• Especially relevant in context of discourses on decolonisation and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

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The Cataloguing Code of Ethics

Short open access document used to review cataloguing policy and practice through an ethical lens.

It consists of:

Part 1 - Introduction. (Background, Definitions, Scope)

Part 2 - 10 Statements of Ethical Principles

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The Code - intended audience

‘This ethics document provides a framework for approaching cataloguing work that will be a useful tool for practitioners, employers, standards’ developers, vendors, students, and educators when ethical situations arise.’

‘We accept that every workplace is different, and responses to ethical situations are necessarily framed by those local contexts.’

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Cataloguing ethics and collection management

Cataloguers play an essential role in creating, managing, enriching, repairing, sharing and preserving metadata so that collections can be searched, discovered and accessed now - and in the future.

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The Cataloging ecosystem is complex and challenging but also rich in opportunities

Cataloging

Ecosystem

Cataloguing

Ecosystem

The Ethical Principles - Tasks, audiences and hurdles

(1) We catalogue … with the end-user in mind to facilitate access and promote discovery

(2) We commit to describing resources without discrimination whilst respecting the privacy and preferences of agents

(3) We acknowledge that we bring our biases to the workplace …. we strive to overcome personal, institutional and societal prejudices in our work

(10) We work with our user communities to …. provide relevant and timely services

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Cataloging ethics in practice - Tasks, audiences and hurdles

• Who are your user communities?
• What resources do your users need or prefer - formats, languages, genres?
• How will you obtain these resources and who will provide the metadata to ensure discovery?
• Is the language used in catalogues, discovery layers, aggregators databases fit for purpose i.e. quality, completeness, inclusivity?

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The Ethical Principles - Collaborations

(7) We collaborate widely to support the creation, distribution, maintenance, and enrichment of metadata …

(4) We recognise that … all standards are biased; we will approach them critically and advocate to make cataloguing more inclusive

(5) We support efforts to make standards and tools financially, intellectually, and technologically accessible …

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Cataloging ethics in practice - Collaborations

• Think about local, regional, national, international or subject specific partnerships in pursuit of common aims - DEI and decolonisation activities

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• Engage suppliers of systems, resources and metadata in discussions regarding your current and emerging requirements

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• What can we do better, together?

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The Ethical Principles - Education, jobs, advocacy

(8) We insist on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace … we promote education, training, equitable pay, and a fair work environment for everyone who catalogues …

(6) We take responsibility for our cataloguing decisions and advocate for transparency …

(9) We advocate for the value of cataloguing work within our organisations and with external partners

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Cataloging ethics in practice - Education, jobs, advocacy

• What support to access cataloguing and metadata management education and CPD is available in your library?
• Do your sectoral strategic bodies realise the need for a skilled and sustainable cataloguing and metadata management workforce?
• Does your collection management team include a cataloguer or metadata manager?

Break Out Rooms

• What ethical issues have you encountered in your cataloguing and/or collection management work?
• Have you resolved the issues? If so, how?
• What issues remain unresolved and why?