[OPLINLIST] FW: Tell Congress that Cataloging and Politics Don't Mix

Fri May 13 09:34:46 EDT 2016

Some legislators have introduced a bill to make the Library of Congress keep using "Aliens" and "Illegal Aliens" as the authorized form of subject headings, instead of the more neutral, less pejorative terms LC just changed them to, "Noncitizens" and "Unauthorized immigration" (after LC put the proposed terms through its usual lengthy investigative review process).

See below for ways to voice your thoughts on this.

I wish I could believe the legislators just lacked information and would pull back if they just got education about how old, no longer-used terms never go away, and that users who search them will just get directed to the currently authorized term (a famous example, that did not generate controversy when implemented, was Negroes -> [a variety of terms through the decades] -> African Americans).  But it's much more likely (in my opinion) that the legislators are interfering in order to gain popularity with some constituents.

It sets precedence. If they legislate what terms can be used this time,  who knows what other terms will be mandated for use or be prevented from changing  as the world changes?

Sevim McCutcheon
Catalog Librarian; Assoc. Prof.
Kent State University Libraries
330-672-1703
Lmccutch at kent.edu

From: ALA Washington Office [mailto:districtdispatch at alawash.org]
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2016 4:35 PM
To: MCCUTCHEON, SEVIM
Subject: Tell Congress that Cataloging and Politics Don't Mix

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 Send an Email<http://cqrcengage.com/ala/app/take-action?engagementId=204393&ep=AAAAC2Flc0NpcGhlcjAxW_XWh7_ViLTutG8TpHGmLhaJeoHJepOXtuwhIaNiQ5n0lcODwczT1IaLwi2i0rFePu2xYbN9SUZqwmZ9f36mSJ3njBhML5CAHWb5-DtqEmU&lp=0>  Send a Tweet<http://cqrcengage.com/ala/app/take-action?engagementId=204513&ep=AAAAC2Flc0NpcGhlcjAxOL9IX_KsNW9n4UzfR6cCoouPaPgVvBEMB9Fh7E-9xC7MU7Y7f9VJ9BtKyRUrpy4CpJam3bHty4l9Y0-mlKK43QtbUWPIH-gB9h0N0XfO_oo&lp=0>  Make a Call<http://cqrcengage.com/ala/app/take-action?engagementId=204394&ep=AAAAC2Flc0NpcGhlcjAxWyhQRNMe0bu-zxLdSTo7U1hcLnLbPpBlMp1iMmD0Ib70E8o-_jLu05TbCLPBF301PYMUnlnhSTKGY3TVbyi0ZvrKfUV26V1r2ZdRxPVAPmU&lp=0>

It's not often that the House of Representatives' "power of the purse" is used to control -- of all things -- what subject headings the Library of Congress can use to classify materials, but that's just what's on the agenda when the House Appropriations Committee meets on May 17. As recently detailed in District Dispatch<http://cqrcengage.com/ala/app/thru?ep=AAAAC2Flc0NpcGhlcjAxlUaXsUVEUMUpFxj0aj2xvyXiry4G_nFvo3Z5CWSlAtMECyHBgo2zrbupFEipOXkjx3dzsNWO99x_AdFq5ExGv1Kh4aQClwdDAb42y27Pgwb6GPkOVgRz1dxak_bqju97tGQ1EnrpCC21Cs5g3jwCZhpSNsyjlLbKMCfYGvO0MhmHJIIMlLon3fysOijdkJH2Z82ceqbeUdjV_fZtBBuiX6PC5pR50UvbzyXckrpEQnY&lp=0>, it will be deciding whether to follow the lead of its Legislative Branch Subcommittee to, in effect, bar the Library from replacing "Aliens" and "Illegal aliens" with the more neutral and appropriate "Noncitizens" and/or "Unauthorized immigration."

The Presidents of ALA and ALCTS recently wrote to the Committee's leaders and members<http://cqrcengage.com/ala/app/thru?ep=AAAAC2Flc0NpcGhlcjAxbbcUAbZqIDw8zJ8cEhViw9BnunVip9dnGmnw9fjZhSxGQl9ufZwdHi2D-rjQeouPey66eu1ozqA1CFJN6KaDzc1m3ZSCyAtZKZLUQceaSBxUNp2vGu5lOuLK71yxZelC77tCrGRSqPi57LX7YUtXinZYXQROom9O8wIAECKuD_rRgF5DVvxQj7cvMc0s4jBBcO79mkNu24PBDGnpj8Ihilz3onAz65dUT6PZ2-XED0qGXT4_p6_Dyb0c6W-sIdTKiqNgbqigP7YR4xJgo59ccivitQySung9vM-KYfol78UdoA4AAVKsfvtay0GqwFOa8aQT7XmWG2W-O3HFgbSR6L2LTP3uipNbeG7tUqWgOqI&lp=0> making the professional cataloger's case for the Library of Congress' non-political subject heading proposals and asking the Committee not to interfere with them. Their message also was carried to Capitol Hill personally on May 3 by hundreds of library advocates in Washington for National Library Legislative Day.

With the full House Appropriations Committee now set to meet in just days , now it's your turn!  Check out ALA's Legislative Action Center<http://cqrcengage.com/ala/app/thru?ep=AAAAC2Flc0NpcGhlcjAx_uli-UUyzFVyCisbjGoZjA_3bOEOIU2FpbzdA9Y75jCGVzi5bMuf4tZPYfO5a253txjPiPtK9e7alC3SiSt3zNla5F8fxF2xzA24gjfQmXuF4GEI6twEf_bI7RYE8Aq8VHB_I71Kk6O1cg9qGkCdcA&lp=0> now to see with a click if you're a constituent of one of the House Appropriations Committee's 51 Members. If so, speak out now for the Library's completely justified, and ALA Council-endorsed<http://cqrcengage.com/ala/app/thru?ep=AAAAC2Flc0NpcGhlcjAxcOOKXAZrm4VLLqBsnFYrb4ftObLZCoToVrzMsgz5iW_Z40geND6hPRmvgb9AF9WsQehNiBGu7Fvuh0vARlk_YFx_Wqa4kyq2VX3y4giB8Kws3llqHYhnfdnU3IPBbQqMww_GqXIl7oFob4GgcOnBE3YS6XDI0JUjiIc4OFnZUNQFk9FxNhtRg2HKETRTWmuScmrhERVMjD_3KnHG0DybAzC_dg4-iHlKNaKqlgLNqRo&lp=0>, subject heading changes. If not, stay tuned; we'll need you soon!

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