RADICAL

CATALOGING
Heather Lember, Richard J. Lee, Suzanne Lipkin - LIS 653-04 Knowledge Organization, Fall 2012

What is Radical Cataloging?

The term radical cataloging emerged in
early 2002 with the creation of an e-mail list
called RADCAT to discuss the politics of
cataloging. (Roberto, 2002)

Radical cataloging covers these areas:
Cataloging rules Addressing structural
problems inherent in hierarchical classication
Subject headings Adding, deleting, or
changing those that are biased, oensive,
outdated, or otherwise problematic
Radical collections Non-traditional
publications such as zines
Cataloging to further a cause For example,
the SRRT s 1996 eort to change LCSH
Subject Headings on poverty and
homelessness as part of the implementation of
ALA s Library Services for the Poor policy

Subject Headings: Access & Implications

Bias in library catalogs stems from:
Bias in gender, sexuality, race, age, gender, age, ability, ethnicity,
language, and religion
Catalogs/LCSH created from White-Christian-Male-Heterosexual-
Eurocentric perspective
Subject Headings often use unfamiliar language
Insucient access points
Groups often not cataloged under preferred names

Radical Collections: Zines

Zines are contemporary, underground, anti-
establishment, and often ephemeral self-
publishing products. How can they be cataloged
and preserved given the limitations of library
resources and the unconventional nature of
zines?

Innovative Cataloging Methods:
Done in-house by volunteers or librarians
Shelved alphabetically, often in comic sleeves
Create new access points, incorporate into an
existing archive, or separate the collection
completely by database and physical location
May utilize methods originated by non-library
zine collections, like indie bookstores
Unique zine collections exist at Barnard,
Brooklyn College, San Francisco Public Library,
Salt Lake Library, Duke, and Minneapolis CC

(Cataloging Services Bulletin: Spring, 1984)

Sanford Berman,
author of The Joy of
Cataloging (1981) is
considered the
father of radical
cataloging and has
succeeded in
changing dozens of
LCSH Subject
Headings over the
past 40 years.

Examples of changes to problematic subject headings:
Sexual Perversion (as cross-reference to Homosexuality &
Lesbianism) eliminated in 1972
Mammies (deleted and replaced with Wet-Nurses, Nannies, and
child care workers with no African-American reference)
Native Races changed to Indigenous Peoples (1989)
Insane changed to Mentally ill (2000)
Women as deleted in 1982
Jewish Question eliminated in 1984
Yellow Peril eliminated in 1989

Girl Gang: K-9 and

Sweatshirt
Fly
Pocho Magazine:
Weather:
1994
Online Comic
Zine Anthology

References:
Berman, S. (1981). The joy of cataloging: Essays, letters, reviews, and other explosions. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press.
Kucsma, J. (2002, February). "Countering Marginalization: Incorporating Zines into the Library." Library Juice. Retrieved from http://libr.org/juice/issues/vol5/LJ_5.6.sup.html.
Roberto, K. R., & Berman, S. (2008). Radical cataloging: Essays at the front. Jeerson, N.C: McFarland & Co.